Education: B.Sc. (Agri.), HP Agri. University, Palampur (1992); M.Sc., HP Agri. University, Palampur, Palampur (1994); Ph.D., PAU, Ludhiana(1999)

Positions held: Assistant Soil Physicist (2001-2013), Soil Physicist (2013 -2016), Principal Soil Physicist (2016 -till date)

Field of Specialization: Soil Physics, Crop simulation modeling, Climate change

Research Interests:

1. Impact of climate change on agricultural productivity, root-zone water and nitrogen balance

2. Climate resilient technologies; Remote sensing and GIS

Ongoing Projects:

• ICAR NAHEP CAAST - School of Natural Resources Management for Sustainable Agriculture (Co-PI)
• Centre of Advanced Faculty Training (CAFT) in Soil Science (Co-PI)

Projects Accomplished:

• Transforming India’s Green Revolution by Research and Empowerment for Sustainable food Supplies funded by University of Cambridge -UK (Co-PI)
• Nitrogen management to mitigate N₂O emission in rice-wheat cropping system (Co-PI)
• ‘Nutrient cycle in agricultural systems at field and regional scale’ A Space Application Centre (SAC) (ISRO), Deptt of Space, Ahmedabad funded project (PI)
• ‘Mitigating the effect of climate change in crop production (I to IV component) under PURSE programme, DST (Co-PI).
• Simulation impacts of Climate change on cropping system productivity in trans-gangetic plains. Funded by Space Application Centre (SAC) (ISRO), Deptt of Space, Ahmedabad (PI/Co-PI)
• Sustainable Water Resource Management (Indo-US AKI Project), (Co- PI)

Selected Research Publications (maximum upto 10):

1. 1. Vashsiht B.B., Jalota S.K., Ramteke P., Kaur R. and Jayeswal D.K. (2021). Impact of rice (O. sativa L.) straw incorporation induced changes in soil physical and chemical properties on yield, water and nitrogen–balance and –use efficiency of wheat (T. aestivum L.) in rice–wheat cropping system: Field and simulation studies. Agricultural Systems, 194: 103279. (NAAS Rating- 12.77)
   2. Vashisht B.B., Nigon T., Mulla D.J., Rosen C., Xu H., Twine T. and Jalota S.K. 2015. Adaptation of water and nitrogen management to future climates for sustaining potato yield in Minnesota: Field and simulation study. Agricultural Water Management, 152: 198–206. (NAAS Rating- 12.61)
   3. Jalota S.K., Jain A.K. and Vashisht B.B. 2018. Minimize water deficit in wheat crop to ameliorate groundwater decline in rice-wheat cropping system. Agricultural Water Management, 208: 261-267. (NAAS Rating- 12.61)
   4. Ramteke P.R., Vashisht B.B., Sharma S. and Jalota S.K. 2021. Assessing and ranking influence of rates of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw incorporation and N fertilizers on soil physicochemical properties and Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield in Rice-Wheat system. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 22: 515-526. (NAAS Rating- 9.61)
   5. Vashisht B.B., Maharjan B., Sharma S. and Kaur S. 2020. Soil quality and its potential indicators under different land use systems in the Shivaliks of Indian Punjab. Sustainability, 12:1-13. (NAAS Rating- 9.89)

Awards/Honours/Distinctions:

• Fellow, Indian Association of Soil & Water Conservationists
• University merit scholarship during B.Sc.(Agri) and Ph.D Programme.