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Soil Health Group primarily focuses on developing slow-release,
micronutrient fortified urea fertilizer to enhance nitrogen use
efficiency (NUE) and fulfill micronutrient needs of field crops.
Additionally, the research group is actively working on the
management of crop residues in rice-wheat system to boost crop
productivity and mitigate smog issues. Another key area of research
is the phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils using
non-edible industrial crops.
Ongoing Research
Activities
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Evaluation of
different formulations of micronutrient fortified slow-release
urea to enhance NUE and fulfill micronutrient needs of field
crops
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Evaluation of
different management strategies for incorporation of crop
residue in rice-wheat system to boost crop productivity and
mitigate smog issues
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Phytoremediation of
heavy metal-contaminated soils using castor bean
Research
Achievements
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Identified urease
inhibitor NBPT as the best management practice for increasing
fertilizer N recovery in plants and reducing N loss under
cultivation of summer
crops such as cotton and maize
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Developed Boron
Coated Urea with 15% higher NUE, contributing to an approximate
10% increase in crop yield
Future
Directions
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Commercialization
of Boron Coated Urea to enhance crop yield and curtail
environmental N losses
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Introduction and
adaptation of integrated approaches for management of crop
residues in rice-wheat cropping system at the farmer field to
enhance farm productivity and mitigate smog problem
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Rehabilitation of
heavy metal-contaminated degraded lands through the cultivation
of non-edible industrial crops with economic benefits in the
region
Funded Projects
PARB 20-419
Project titled “Preparation and commercialization of coated
micronutrients and control release fertilizers for improving yield
and quality of crops”2022-2025 (PKR 11.3 Million)
Collaborations
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International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
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Ayub Agricultural
Research Institute (AARI)
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Punjab Agricultural
Research Board (PARB)
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Pakistan Institute
of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS)
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University of
Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF)
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Fauji Fertilizer
Company (FFC)
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