Sustainable System of Farming for Modern Agriculture

The book Towards a sustainable agriculture: An intervention tool for eco-friendly approach in modern era addresses a range of sustainable agricultural issues in a comprehensive manner. It delves into topics such as soil tillage, watershed management, organic farming, integrated nutrient management, biofertilizers, vermicomposting, earthworms role in sustainable agriculture, natural methods for controlling crop pests, the role of rural women, farm worms, agroforestry, and waste land management. This book also provides alternative approaches to sustain the productivity of Jhum cultivation, as well as information on the importance of micronutrients and the extension system approach for maintaining food grain production. It is a valuable resource for scientists, extension personnel, teachers, and students involved in conducting research on sustainable agricultural production.

Prof. (Dr.) Rameshwar Dass Gupta, popularly abbreviated by R.D. Gupta, has the distinction to serve in three Indian Agricultural Universities namely PAU Ludhiana, CSKHPKV, Palampur and SKUAST, J& K Srinagar / Jammu as diligent extension activist, high profile researcher and a commanding teacher in his field of ;Soil Microbiology” and ;Pedology”. He is also unique who has worked under the able guidance of Dr. K.K. Jha, Ex-Vice Chancellor, Rajindra Agricultural University, Samastipur, Bihar, Dr. B.R. Tripathi, Ex-Vice Chancellor, Narendra Dev University of Agricultural and Technology, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh as well as Dr. N.S. Randhawa and Dr. G. Dev, Ex-DDG, ICAR and Ex-Director Research, CSKHPKV Palampur /Indian Potash Research Institute respectively.

Dr. Gupta is a leading soil scientist and noted environmentalist. Besides having specialized in Soil Microbiology and Pedology, he holds a postgraduate diploma in Ecology and Environment from Indian Institute of Environment, New Delhi with a specialization in ;Wildlife of Pir Panjal Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir. Dr R.D. Gupta, is one of the pioneer worker whose Ph.D. Agriculture and M.Sc. Agriculture's theses related to the soils of Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir which he submitted for earning these degrees from CSKHPKV, Palampur and Ranchi University during 1980 and 1968. He did B.Sc. Agriculture in 1965 from Jamnu and Kashmir University.

Dr. R.D. Gupta started his professional career as an Assistant Extension Specilist (Soil Science) in PAU, Ludhiana during December 1968, promoted as Assistant Scientist in CSKHPKV, Palampur. After completing Ph.D. during 1980 as an in service candidate, he was elevated to Extension Specialist (Soil Science) and posted to Regional Agriculture Research Station Dhaulakuan, Sirmour under the first newly created Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in May 1983. Thus, Dr. Gupta was the founder of first KVK in Himachal Pradesh.

During February 1985, Dr. Gupta joined as Deputy Director Extension and rose to the position of Head at RARS, R.S. Pura in 1992 Cum Chief scientist of first KVK (Jammu district) of the Jammu region. During 2000 he was appointed as Associate Dean. Infact, he was the founding Associate Dean Faculty of Agriculture of the newly created SKUAST for Jammu who was assigned to look after the work of all research stations of the Jammu region including teaching work of B.Sc. Agriculture as well the Head of the Division of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science and Agroforestry. He has over 150 peered publications like research papers, review in different book chapters and five books to his credit namely ;Problems and Management of Soil and Forest Resources of Northwest Himalayas (1991) ;Environment and Degradation of Jammu and Kashmir Himalayas and their Control (2005);Environment Pollution: Hazards and Control (2006);Glimpses of North West Himalayas, 2009" ;Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) in a Sustainable Rice – Wheat Cropping System as Co-author, 2009 with Dr Anil Mahajan;Wildlife and Wetland Ecosystems of Jammu and Kashmir Himalayas, 2016 and ;Agro techniques and Uses of Medicinal Plants” in Collaboration with Dr S.K. Gupta and Dr. S.D. Bhardwaj, 2016.

Dr. R.D. Gupta has guided a number of M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. He has been on the Advisory Board for various scientific bodies and is the resource personnel of a number of organizations like J&K Pollution Control, Board Rural Development Departments, Soil Conservation and Training Schools. He is a life member of more than a dozen of professional societies and has been regularly participating in various programmes on Radio Kashmir Jammu and also on Doordarshan. Above all he also contributes articles relating to Agriculture & Environment, in local newspapers like. The Kashmir Times, The Daily Excelsior, The State Times, The Greater Kashmir.Prof. (Dr.) R.D. Gupta is the Vice President of Paryavaran (Environment) Sanstha of J&K. He has remained paper setter of Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) and also that Agricultural Research Service / National Eligibility Test / Examination of Soil Science and Pedology under ICAR, New Delhi, India. It is remarkable that Prof. (Dr) R.D. Gupta, has obtained a number of Professional Awards.

S.K. Gupta,born in 1959, is currently working as professor and Head/Chief scientist (Oilseeds) in the Division of Plant Breeding and Genetics, SK University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, FOA, Chatha, Jammu, India, and holds a brilliant academic and service record. For almost two decades he has devoted his research interests to the area of oilseed brassicas. Dr. Gupta obtained his post-graduate degrees (M.Sc., Ph.D.) from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India, in 1984 and 1987, respectively. He is the recipient of a post-doctoral fellowship in plant biotechnology, and has published more than 100 research papers in esteemed national and international journals, mostly on Brassicas. He has already developed eight varieties of rapeseed- mustard. In addition, he has written two books on plant breeding and edited eight books on Rapeseed Breeding-Advances in Botanical Research, Vol. 45, Academic Press, Elsevier Publishers. For his excellent scientific endeavors, he has been conferred with the Young Scientist Award: 1993-1994 by the State Department of Science and Technology.

Anil Mahajan completed his B.Sc. Agriculture (with specialization in Plant Protection) in June 1999, M.Sc. Agriculture (Soil Chemistry and Fertility) in December 2001 and Ph.D. Agriculture (Soil Physics) in January 2006 with distinction from Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya a Diploma in Computer Applications from Institute of Computer Education and Sciences Training, Palampur. It is pertinent to mention that he has studied minor subjects such as Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy during his Ph.D. Agriculture, and Agronomy during his M.Sc. Agriculture. He has worked as Senior Research Fellow (from 27 July 2005 to 31 August 2007) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Government of India, in a Geographic Information System-based research project entitled ;Developing Mountain Agriculture System Information Files for Planning Niche-based Agriculture Developing in Kangra and Mandi Districts of Himachal Pradesh' at Centre for Geo-informatics Research and Training, CSK, HPKV, Palampur. He has also worked as Research Associate under ICAR-aided research project, ‘Modeling Impact and Adaptation for Major Crops in Himachal Pradesh' (from 1 September to 2 December 2007) at Centre for Geo-informatics Research and Training, CSK HPKV, Palampur, and as Research Associate at Horticulture Technology Mission Mode Project, ‘Integrated Nutrient Management for Major Fruit Crops of Kandi Region of Jammu' (from 3 December 2007 to 3 January 2008) in the Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu. Presently he is working as Territory Manager, Business Development for rice crop (from 4 January 2008 till date) in a German Multinational Company, Bayer Bioscience Pvt Ltd, (wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer Crop Science Pvt. Ltd., India).

Dr. Anil Mahajan has done remarkable research work in the rice-wheat cropping system during his doctoral programme, and also in rice, maize and vegetables in master's research work. He was a recipient for the University Merit Scholarship during his B.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes, and was awarded Honours Certificate in M.Sc. degree and Best Poster Award at National Workshop on Natural Resource Management for Sustainable Agriculture organized by SKUAST, Jammu, and Soil Conservation Society of Indian in November 2006. He has 30 publications (research review and extension papers) to his credit and has attended several national and international training sessions and workshops. It needs to mention that he twice qualified ICAR National Eligibility Test conducted by Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, New Delhi, in the following professional subject: Soil Science: Soil Chemistry/Fertility/Microbiology and Soil Science – Soil Physics, Soil and Water Conservation.