Education: Ph.D. (Soil Science), PAU, Ludhiana (2005); M.Sc. (Soil Science), PAU, Ludhiana (1995); B.Sc. (Agriculture Hons.), PAU, Ludhiana (1992)

Positions held: Professor (2011 onwards), Associate Professor (2005-2011), and Assistant Professor (1995-2005)

Field of Specialization: Soil Fertility, Nutrient Management

Research Interests:

1. Precision Nutrient Management
2. Integrated nutrient management
3. Bio-fertilizers and Nano nutrients

Research Projects (Ongoing):

1. Centers for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology (CAAST) - School of Natural Resources Management for Sustainable Agriculture
2. Addressing Food Security Through Nutritionally Enriched Improved Cultivars And Technologies For Swash Bharat under Promotion Of University Research And Scientific Excellence (PURSE)

Research Projects (Accomplished):

1. Developing and disseminating site-specific nutrient management for intensive rice-wheat systems
2. Evaluating bio-fertilizers (Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria) for improving nutrient use efficiency in wheat-moong cropping system  
3. ICAR-National Professor Project on need based fertilizer N management in rice and wheat
4. Diatomaceous earth as a source of silicon in rice-wheat cropping system in Punjab
5. Popularization of leaf colour chart (LCC) for need-based fertilizer N management in cereals
6. Educating farmers for judicious use of fertilizer nitrogen using leaf colour chart (LCC) in rice, wheat and maize in Punjab
7. Establishment of need based fertilizer nitrogen management strategy using leaf colour chart (LCC) in wheat sown with happy Seeder
8. Establishment of need based fertilizer nitrogen management strategy using leaf colour chart (LCC) in direct Seeded Rice
9. Improving nutrient use efficiency in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) by coating seed with mycorrhiza and using leaf colour chart (LCC), chlorophyll (SPAD) meter, optical sensor (GreenSeeker)
10. Cambridge-India network for translational research in nitrogen (CINTRIN)
11. Extending knowledge of increased corn crop productivity to farmers
12. Reducing nitrogen impacts in northern Indian cropping systems: realising production and environmental benefit

Selected Research Publications (maximum up to 5):

1. Varinderpal-Singh, Kunal, Mehtab-Singh and Bijay-Singh (2022) Spectral indices measured with proximal sensing using canopy reflectance sensor, chlorophyll meter and leaf colour chart for in-season grain yield prediction of basmati rice. Pedosphere 32 (6): 812-822.

2. Varinderpal-Singh, Kunal, Rajinder Kaur, Mehtab-Singh, Mohkam Singh, Harpreet-Singh and Bijay-Singh (2021) Prediction of grain yield and nitrogen uptake by basmati rice through in?season proximal sensing with a canopy reflectance sensor. Precision Agriculture. doi.org/10.1007/s11119-021-09857-0.

3. Varinderpal-Singh, Navneet Kaur, Kunal, Blestar Singh, Jeewesh Kumar, Aman Thapar and Eric S Ober (2021) Nitrate leaching from applied fertilizer is reduced by precision nitrogen management in baby corn cropping systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 120: 379-391.

4. Varinderpal-Singh, Kunal, Gosal SK, Rita Choudhary, Reena Singh and Alok Adholeya (2021) Improving nitrogen use efficiency using precision nitrogen management in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 184: 371-377.

5. Varinderpal-Singh, Kunal, Gosal SK, Rita Choudhary, Reena Singh and Alok Adholeya (2021) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and proximal sensing for improving nutrient use efficiencies in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Journal of Plant Nutrition. DOI:10.1080/01904167.2021.2014872.

Awards/ Honours/ Distinctions:

1. FAI Golden Jubilee Award 2020 for Best Work Done in the Field of Plant Nutrition: Denied to receive the award in a protest against anti-national farm laws of the Government of India.
2. Visiting Scientist University of California, Davis: January to March, 2022.
3. Visiting Scientist, National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), UK: April to September, 2018.
4. INSA Visiting Scientist: Visited Philippines under INSA-NAST international scientific bilateral exchange programme during 2011.
5. ICAR Junior Research Fellowship Award: Topped at national level in the competitive examination-1992 for Junior Research Fellowship conducted by ICAR, New Delhi.
6. Gold Medal: Awarded Dr. Sukhdyal Nijawan Gold medal for highest O.G.P.A. during B.Sc. Agriculture (Hons.) for the session 1992-93.
7. Dr. Daleep Singh Deep Memorial Award: Awarded for the session 1989-90 as best student of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
8. Merit Fellowship: Awarded University Merit Fellowship during B.Sc. Agri. (Hons.).