Ludhiana agri varsity adds 50 tractors to fleet

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has added 50 tractors, 31 potato diggers and 14 plankers to its fleet, officials said.

They said the university also procured 10 units each of fertiliser broadcasters, laser land levellers and tractor-mounted boom sprayers.

Amid the festive spirit of Baisakhi, Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, flagged off the 50 tractors near the College of Agriculture.

To commemorate the festivities, the tractors were decorated with vibrant phulkaris, symbolising the state’s rich cultural heritage. The event also paid tributes to the efforts of agricultural scientists and the resilience of farmers, whose labour sustains the nation’s food systems, the officials said.

The new purchases are part of a broader investment supported by the Centre and the state governments.

The inventory expands further with nine trolleys, eight super seeders and seven cultivators, complemented by six units each of smart seeders and disc harrows. A set of four machines each, covering self-propelled boom sprayers, multi-crop planters, bed planters, zero-till drills, orchard sprayers, paddy nursery seeders and paddy trans-planters, has also been added.

The PAU also bought three potato planters, two units each of vegetable bed makers, nursery seeders and packaging machines, and a bus to support operations.

According to the officials, the procurement will impact 11 research stations, six seed farms and the PAU research departments on campus.

Soil scientist selected for training in Australia

Opinder Singh Sandhu, soil scientist, Department of Soil Science, has been selected for an advanced training programme at The University of Western Australia (UWA) in Perth.

PAU officials said the training will focus on regenerative agriculture and is aimed at strengthening collaboration while contributing to global efforts in sustainable agriculture.

During his visit, Sandhu will be based at the UWA Institute of Agriculture, working closely with researchers from UWA and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Australia. His work will centre on crop residue management and conservation agriculture practices, key areas for improving soil health and long-term agricultural resilience.

Student bags award at conference in Shimla

Mehakdeep Kaur, a postgraduate student from the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Community Science, got the “Best MSc Thesis Award” at the “13th International Conference on Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry and Allied Sciences for Sustainable Himalayan Ecosystem,” held in Shimla recently.

She was awarded for her research titled “Relationship of Gender Role Attitude with Selected Socio-Personal Variables among Urban Adolescents.”