Dr. B. Balaganesh

Dr. B. Balaganesh is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry at the School of Agricultural Sciences, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore. He holds a Ph.D. in Agriculture with specialization in Soil Pedology, an M.Sc. in Agriculture with specialization in Soil Science, and a B.Sc. in Agriculture. He has also qualified the National Eligibility Test (NET) in Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry conducted by the Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, ICAR, New Delhi.

His areas of expertise include controlled-release fertilizers, crop nutrition, soil health assessment, precision agriculture, Pedology, fertilizer technology development, soil fertility management, sustainable agriculture, and technology transfer. His research focuses on biodegradable polymer-coated urea and slow-release fertilizers, nitrogen use efficiency, nutrient management, soil health, soil quality, and sustainable agricultural production. He has handled courses in Fundamentals of Soil Science, Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management, Agrochemicals, Problem Soils and their Management, Precision Horticulture, Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques, and related soil and plant analysis courses.

Dr. Balaganesh has published 33 research papers and has authored one book and five book chapters. His research work includes projects on biodegradable polymer-coated urea, controlled-release fertilizers, soil health, nutrient management, and soil monolith extraction. He has guided 17 M.Sc. students and 4 Ph.D. scholars and has served as a reviewer for five peer-reviewed journals. He has also received two Karunya Short-Term Research Grants for projects on slow-release nitrogen fertilizer and soil monolith extraction. His research contributions include a patent on a robotic device for weeding and soil aeration.

He has received the Best Oral Presentation Award, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Research Excellence Award, SES-Best Agriculture Teacher Award, Young Scientist Award, and another Best Oral Presentation Award. His academic contributions include serving as a resource person on sustainable soil health management and regenerative agriculture, conducting farmer training and soil-health awareness programmes, organizing a Farmers Mela, and distributing soil health cards and water-testing reports to farmers. He has also undertaken several academic and administrative responsibilities, including ICAR Coaching Coordinator, Placement Coordinator, Innovation Committee Coordinator, Central Instrumentation Lab In-charge, Soil and Water Quality Testing Lab In-charge, and Year Coordinator for undergraduate students.