Tag: Harold van Es
Soil Health-Human Health Nexus: Mineral Thresholds, Interlinkages and Rice System in Jharkhand, India
Abstract Understanding the role of minerals along biological pathways in the food chain (soil-crop-animal/human) is imperative to solving the global problem of human malnutrition and toxic exposure. This is especially relevant to rice (Oryza sativa L.)—a staple crop in highly populated regions, like India, that are...
Enhancing Soil Health in Rice Cultivation: Optimized Zn Application and Crop Residue Management in Calcareous Soils
Abstract Crop residue, a readily available biomass, is the largest source of organic matter in soil, and zinc (Zn) significantly influences microbial activity. Understanding the optimal Zn rates for enhanced biological activity in crop residue-amended soils is crucial. A study at RPCAU, Pusa, examined the...
Seasonal Variations in Soil Characteristics Control Microbial Respiration and Carbon Use Under Tree Plantations in the Middle Gangetic Region
Abstract Seasonal variations directly impact the biochemical and microbial properties of the soil, influence carbon and nutrient cycling within the soil system. Soils under tree plantation (TP) are rich in organic matter and microbial population, making them more susceptible to seasonal variation. We studied the...
A Data-Driven Approach for Devising and Assessing Precision Nitrogen Management Strategies Applied to Wheat Systems in India
Abstract Limiting nitrogen pollution from crop production is essential for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and protecting aquatic ecosystems while maintaining food security. Precision nitrogen management (PNM) provides a conceptual framework for achieving yield goals while maintaining nitrogen pollution within planetary boundaries by matching fertilizer rates...
Agronomic enhancements in the Indo-Gangetic Plain variably improve soil health depending on tillage and residue management
Abstract Changing climates, labor markets, scarcity of water and soil degradation threaten productivity in rice (Oryza sativa L.) – wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotations the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). Diversifying cropping systems, zero tillage, and residue addition can improve soil health and lead to increased system yields....
TCI Faculty Fellow Receives Three Awards
TCI Faculty Fellow Harold van Es received three honors from professional societies during CANVAS 2025, an annual gathering of the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America.
The Soil Science…
A Multi-Use Agrivoltaics Model for Smallholder Communities
India, like many countries around the world, faces the daunting challenge of increasing food production to feed its growing population while attempting to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, agri-photovoltaics (agrivoltaics…
In Bihar, TCI Presents a Path for Productive, Climate-Smart Agriculture
The Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) unveiled evidence for three pathways to make agriculture in Bihar more productive and environmentally sustainable at an event in Patna on October 16. The event was attended by government officials, researchers and…
TCI Inaugurates Bihar’s First Agrivoltaics Site
The Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) and Preservation and Proliferation of Rural Resources and Nature (PRAN), along with Jain Irrigation Systems, celebrated the inauguration of an agrivoltaics installation in Bihar’s Gaya ji district on Monday, June 9. The…
In Bihar, a TCI-Supported Lab Raises Awareness of Soil Health
One of TCI’s longest-running projects, “Optimizing Soil Health” established a partnership with the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU) in Bihar that is educating young soil scientists and undertaking critical studies of soil health and agricultural production in Bihar…