TNAU hosts Endowment lecture on Space Technology for soil health studies

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University organised an Endowment Lecture on “Space Tech for Soil Health: NISAR & TRISHNA Satellites’ Data for Soil Studies” at Coimbatore to create awareness among scientists and students on the application of space technology in soil research. The programme was jointly organised by the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry under the Directorate of Natural Resource Management and the School of Post Graduate Studies.
Dr. D. Selvi, Professor and Head, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, welcomed the gathering and delivered the opening remarks. In the inaugural address, Dr. C. Babu, Dean, School of Post Graduate Studies, stressed the importance of interdisciplinary research for improving soil health and promoting sustainable agriculture.
Dr. P. Balasubramaniam, Director, Directorate of Natural Resource Management, introduced the keynote speaker Dr. D. Gowrisankar, Director, Office of International and Interagency Cooperation, Indian Space Research Organisation, Department of Space, Government of India, Bengaluru. He highlighted the speaker’s key role in coordinating ISRO’s international cooperation initiatives, including bilateral and multilateral engagements, space cooperation treaties and policy formulation. He also noted that Dr. Gowrisankar was a recipient of the ISRO Merit Award in 2018.
In his Endowment Lecture, Dr. D. Gowrisankar explained the advantages of using satellite remote sensing for soil characterisation. He outlined the applications of multispectral, hyperspectral, radar and thermal sensors in assessing soil texture, moisture, organic carbon content, salinity and land degradation. He elaborated on the international cooperative satellite missions NISAR and TRISHNA and their relevance for soil studies, while also referring to other satellites designed specifically for soil-related research. Dr. K. Sathiya Bama, Professor and PG Coordinator, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, proposed the vote of thanks.