By every day, the lives of people around the world are made better by Agronomy. The endless green fields of Wheat, Maize, Rice and the vast acres of cotton do not just happen. Hard work on the part of the grower, scientific and technological input by the agronomic sciences is required. Agronomists provide a wealth of information to farmers to assure the soundness of their production programs. Agronomy makes this possible through the application of soil and plant science for soil management and crop production, and incorporates the wise use of natural resources and conservation practices. Very meticulously planned field experiment will give good result only if it is supervised and executed well. Agronomic Research Institute, Faisalabad was incepted during 1984 for precise and thoughtful research on crop and soil management. Its major target was to tackle the farmer’s problems under varied agro-ecological conditions in the Punjab for sustainable crop production.
Mission
To conduct research for improving the productivity and profitability of crop production through efficient utilization of natural resources.
Objectives
- Testing of new genotypes developed at commodity research institutes for the formulation of production packages on agro-ecological basis
- On-farm research with farming system perspective under different agro-ecological zones of the Punjab in order to develop technology appropriate to farmer’s resource
- Determining water requirements, irrigation schedule and appropriate methods of irrigation for major field and vegetable crops
- Developing new cropping patterns or by bringing modest changes in the existing cropping systems
- Developing economically viable and technically feasible multiple cropping patterns i.e. mixed, inter and relay cropping patterns keeping in view the farmer’s resource base
- Standardization of integrated weed management methods,screening of herbicides for efficient weed control and to study their toxicity on field crops, vegetables, gardens and lawns
- Generation of independent data base for approval of varieties
- Assessing the impact of climate change on production of major field crops
- Testing of new high value crops for their acclimatization in agro-ecological conditions of Punjab
- To develop production packages for the cultivation of medicinal plants
Future Plan
- Impact assessment of climate change on cropping systems
- To develop production technologies of various medicinal plants
- To increase resource use efficiency without diminishing crop yields
- Devising ways of mitigating ill effects of heat and drought stresses on major field crops
- Rice stubble management for discouraging its burning to combat smog problems
- Reducing allelopathic effects of canola and sarson on germination of subsequent crop
- Promotion of organic farming in view of ill effects of chemical pesticides / weedicides