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The Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (GBPUA&T) has signed an MoU with an agro-chemical firm to jointly conduct research in crop protection chemicals and promote use of drones in agriculture.

"A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Director of Experiment Station Dr Ajeet Singh Nain on behalf of the University, while Dr Ajeet Singh Tomar, vice president (R&D) signed on behalf of Dhanuka Agritech Ltd.," Dhanuka Agritech announced on Tuesday.

Through this partnership, Dhanuka Agritech and the University aim to boost farmers' income by enhancing crop productivity and production.

The objective of the MoU includes organising an awareness programme for carrying out agricultural extension services and also for jointly conducting research activities in the field of crop protection chemicals. "Farmers will be encouraged to use modern agriculture technologies such as drone usage, artificial intelligence (AI), and precision agriculture," it said.

The Centre has recently released the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the use of drone applications to spray agrochemicals.

The University will conduct demonstration/adaptive trials of new molecules/products of Dhanuka at its farms as well as farmers field and will consider the inclusion of the findings (active ingredient only) into the package of practises. "The tie-up with G B Pant University will help us promote research activities in the agriculture and allied activities," Group Chairman, Dhanuka Agritech Ltd., R G Agarwal said.

"Dhanuka will sponsor bio-efficacy and phyto-toxicity projects to the university for managing insects and pests through drone application. Dhanuka's R&D Division has world-class NABL accredited laboratories," it said in a release.

Dhanuka will also provide scholarships to PG Students who are involved in the research work.

The GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology had recently signed another MoU with an agriculture science company for that company would award four scholarships annually to students pursuing doctorates and master's degrees in agricultural sciences at GB Pant University.