Research

Research

Research Thrust Areas

• Mechanization of hill agriculture for increased production and productivity with reduced drudgery
• Enhanced utilization of renewable sources of energy
• In-situ soil and water management including water harvesting and protected cultivation with micro-irrigation facilities
• Post harvest management, processing and value addition of crops produced in NEH region
• Agri-business management
• Organic farming and integrated farming

Research and Development Activities

• Intramural Research Projects
• Extra Mural Research Projects
• All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs)
• Students Research
• Sponsored Research Project in Association with other Institutions

Research and Development Achievements

• Extra Mural Research Projects

Completed Extra Mural Research Projects – 08

Sl. No.	Title / PI	Source and Amount of Funding	Status
1.	A Value Chain on Selected Aromatic Plants of NE Region CPI: Dr. P.K. Srivastava PIs: Dr. S.N. Yadav, Dr. S. Jena, Dr. S.R. Yadav and Dr. S.K. Satpathy	NAIP-ICAR Rs. 192.39 lakh	Completed Successfully (February 24, 2009 to March 31, 2014)
2.	Promotion of Energy Efficient Improved Biomass Cook Stoves in Rural Areas of Sikkim PI: Dr. Mahendra S. Seveda, Associate Professor	Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt. of India, New Delhi Rs. 33.30 lakh	Completed Successfully (August 16, 2012 to October 31, 2015)
3.	Mapping of Natural Resources and Developing Strategies for Water Resource Management in Sikkim PI: Dr B.C. Kusre, Associate Professor	Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi Rs. 15.70 lakh	Completed Successfully (July, 2014 to August, 2016)
4.	Prediction of Lean Season Discharge of Spring for Efficiently Managing it to Fulfill Water Needs of the Mountain Inhabitants PI: Dr. A.K. Vashisth, Associate Professor	Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi Rs. 17.30 lakh	Completed Successfully (Dec 11, 2012to Dec 10, 2016)
5.	Gap Analysis of Skill Development in Agricultural Engineering and Technology Education PI: Dr. Mahendra S. Seveda, Associate Professor	ICAR, Govt. India, New Delhi Rs. 4.71 Lakh	Successfully Completed on March 31, 2017
6.	Critical Analysis of Quality of Post Graduate Research in Physical Sciences of Agricultural Education System PI: Dr. Mahendra S. Seveda, Associate Professor	ICAR, Govt. India, New Delhi Rs. 4.74 Lakh	Successfully Completed on March 31, 2017
7.	Impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Agricultural Education in India (Dr. Mahendra S. Seveda, Co-PI) in association with College of Post Graduate Studies, CAU Barapani (Dr. D.K. Pandey, PI)	ICAR, Govt. India, New Delhi Rs. 15.00 Lakh	Successfully Completed on March 31, 2017
8.	Value Chain Analysis of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale L.) in North Eastern Hill Region of India(Dr. Mahendra S. Seveda, Co-PI) in association with College of Post Graduate Studies, CAU, Barapani (Dr. Ram Singh, PI)	ICAR, Govt. India, New Delhi Rs. 20.00 Lakh	Successfully Completed on March 31, 2017

On-going Extra Mural Research Projects – 05

Sl. No.	Project Title and PI	Funding Source & Amount
1.	Establishment of Bio-Tech. Hub PI: Dr. S. Jena, Associate Professor	DBT Rs. 28.58 lakh
2.	Soil Moisture Characterization and its Impact on Productivity of Large Cardamom in Sikkim PI: Dr. B.C. Kusre, Associate Professor	DST Rs. 46.60 lakh
3.	Development of Equipment and Technology to Mechanize Conservation Agriculture on Terraces Under Rainfed Hill Farming condition of NEH region PI: Dr. S.N. Yadav, Professor	ICAR Rs. 31.61 Lakh
5.	Establishment of Farm Equipment Testing Centre PI: Dr. S.N. Yadav, Professor	DOAC Rs. 61.59 lakh

 

AICRPs

On-going AICRPs – 04

Sl. No.	Project Title and PI	Funding Source & Amount
1.	AICRP on Farm Implements & Machinery (Dr. S.K. Satpathy)	ICAR, Rs. 33.30 lakh
2.	AICRP on Utilization of Animal Energy (Er. S.K. Chouhan)	ICAR, Rs. 107.90 lakh
3.	AICRP on Ergonomics & Safety in Agriculture (Dr. S.N. Yadav)	ICAR, Rs. 97.72 lakh
4.	AICRP on Plastics Engg. & Tech. (Application of Plastics) in Agriculture (Dr. Deepak Jhajhria)	ICAR, Rs. 48.55 lakh

 

Completed Intra Mural Research Projects – 06

S. N.	Title	PI	Status
1.	Analysis of cyanogenic glycocide content in Mesu-a fermented bamboo shoot consumed in sikkim and determination of method of its reduction (Ag. Engg. IRP-I/2011-12)	Dr. Y. Ranjana Devi Assistant Professor	Completed on 31-12-13
2.	Determination of hydraulic performance of micro irrigation system emitter for selection in hilly terrain of NE region	Dr B C Kusre Associate Professor	Completed on 25-11-14
3.	Design and development of the mixed model photovoltaic powered forced convection solar dryer of 10 Kg capacity for agro industrial application of NEH region	Dr. Mahendra S. Seveda Associate Professor	Completed on  31-01-15
4.	Evaluation and modification of existing tunnel dryer for better adoptability under Sikkim condition	Mr. S. M. Kamaruzzaman Assistant Professor	Completed on 31-03-15
5.	Impact of particle size distribution of filter material on water turbidity and flow rate for use in drip irrigation and ground water recharge	Dr. A. K. Vashisht Associate Professor	Completed On 31-10-16
6.	Assessment of infiltration rate of a paddy growing area in a micro watershed of East Sikkim	Dr. G. T. Patle Assistant Professor	Completed On 25-11-16

On-going/Sanctioned Intra Mural Research Projects – 03

S. N.	Title	PI	Status
1.	Spatio-temporal trend analysis of total rainfall and one-day maximum rainfall and its influence on agriculture in terms of drought in Northeast India	Dr. Deepak Jhajharia, Associate Professor	Ongoing (Started from 27 Jan. 2017)
2.	Managing natural resources of a watershed for its sustainable development	Dr. A. K. Vashisht Associate Professor	Sanctioned on February 17, 2017
3.	Development of solar photovoltaic water pumping system for micro irrigation in NEH region of India	Dr. Mahendra S. Seveda Associate Professor	Sanctioned on March 31, 2017

 

Technology developed/design refined by College

1. Equipment and Machinery
2. Animal drawn ridger
3. Animal drawn wing plough
4. Animal drawn cultivator
5. Animal drawn improved peg type puddler
6. Animal drawn improved helical blade puddler
7. Animal drawn clod crusher- leveler-planker-puddler
8. Animal drawn improved multipurpose tool frame with attachments
9. Animal drawn improved single row seed drill
10. Animal drawn two row zero till drill
11. Animal drawn two row multi crop seed drill
12. Four row sprouted rice seeder
13. Check row marker
14. Improved large cardamom harvesting knife
15. Animal drawn single row improved potato digger
16. Modified hand maize sheller
17. Gravity based rope way
18. Package of practices for production and processing of lemongrass and java citronella
19. Residue chopper
20. Power tiller operated rotary puddler
21. Power tiller operated ridger
22. Pony driven rotary and for power generation
23. Portable manual mulch laying machine
24. Renewable Energy Technologies
25. Energy efficient improved double pot biomass cook stove
26. Photovoltaic powered forced convection solar dryer
27. Mixed mode photovoltaic powered forced convection solar dryer
28. Large cardamom portable biomass dryer
29. Smokeless gasifier cook stove
30. Portable side feed smokeless cook stove
31. Maize roasting grill
32. Walk in type double absorber solar dryer
33. Low cost poly houses
34. Products and processes
35. Shrink packaging technology for high value flowers
36. Pine apple powder technology
37. Blending technology for passion fruit juices
38. Fermented foods
39. Millet fortified extruded foods

Research Achievements

1. Powered potable pit digger, manually-pedal operated paddy thresher, manual winnower and powered tree pruner were evaluated and introduced/recommended as the ergonomically designed package of equipment for cultivation of agricultural/horticultural crops in Sikkim.
2. Improved package of animal drawn equipment namely multipurpose tool frame with attachment, clod crusher-leveler-planker-puddler, single row and two row multi crop seed drill, zero till seed drill (for buck wheat), improved maize planter with yoke/harnes, improved potato digger for cultivation in valleys, terraces and hill slopes have been developed and introduced to the farmers.
3. Light weight power tiller operated potato digger was evaluated and introduced to the farmers for digging of potatoes compared to manual hand hoe/spade digging.
4. Anthropometric and strength parameters 350 number of agricultural workers (female and male) were measured and analyzed for input to ergonomic design of tools and equipment.
5. Different types low cost portable solar dryers were designed and developed for drying of agricultural and horticultural products.
6. The mixed mode photovoltaic powered forced convection solar dryer of 10 kg capacity for agro industrial application in NEH region was designed and developed. The improved solar dryer found promising to dry chilli (cherry pepper), ginger and large cardamom was introduced to the farmers/households in Sikkim.
7. 1051 numbers of double pot energy efficient improved biomass cook stoves were installed in different clusters of villages in Sikkim and performance of improved cook stoves were evaluated and compared with traditional biomass cook stoves on premises of farmers/households. The average thermal efficiency of improved biomass cook stove was measured to be 29.96% compared to the traditional cook stove of 10.13%.
8. Small capacity large cardamom dryer using biomass gasifier based cook stove was developed and evaluated for saving in time and fuel wood consumed compared to the traditional drying in “bhatti”.
9. Cyanogenic glycoside content in Mesu- a fermented bamboo shoot consumed in Sikkim was analyzed. Pressure cooking for 20 minutes is found to reduce to cyanide content from 600 ppm to 10 ppm which would be safe for human consumption.
10. Composite flour noodles and pasta using underutilized cereals of NE region was developed.
11. Drying methods (vacuum drying and cabinet tray drying) was standardized for preparation of garlic flakes. Vacuum drying was found more efficient than cabinet tray drying.
12. Different drying techniques were developed for cherry pepper (Dallae chilly).
13. Studied the prediction of lean season discharge of springs to manage efficiently the water needs of the mountain inhabitants.
14. Water use efficiency of tomato under gravity fed drip irrigation and mulching in low cost bamboo structured naturally ventilated poly house was worked out to find the effectiveness of drip and mulch on yield/yield attributes. Irrigation requirement of 128.97 mm (43.27 litres per plant) was found out to be adequate during the cropping season (Feb-June).
15. Micro climatic parameters within the poly houses of different sizes and shapes in east Sikkim were evaluated and compared to the ambient condition. These micro-climatic parameters would be useful for standardization of the design of poly houses suitable in Sikkim for cultivation of orchids.
16. Natural resources map viz., terrain map, stream maps, land use maps of South Sikkim district were prepared.
17. Water resources management strategy were formulated for Sikkim and circulated to all line departments concerned.
18. The experiments were carried out to produce biogas from a floating drum type portable biogas plant volume capacity 0.25 m³ for outdoor climatic condition at College of Agricultural Engineering and Post Harvest Technology, Central Agricultural University, Ranipool Gangtok, Sikkim, India. Study revealed that the food waste is the best source of methane generation due to its biodegradable capacity Biogas production from different food wastes could be enhanced by adopting biotechnological applications. It is also revealed that the small capacity kitchen waste biogas plant is most suitable in NEH region. It is concluded that the floating drum type 0.25 m³ portable kitchen waste biogas plant working successfully in the NEH region.
19. The process for development of RTS beverages using ginger and other fruit juices has been standardized.
20. Soil moisture characteristics curves were developed for different types of soil in Sikkim.
21. Though the field measurement of infiltration rate is time consuming and very difficult in the hilly terrain, an attempt has been made to estimate the infiltration rate from the widely used infiltration models namely Horton, Philip, Kostiokov and Green Ampt infiltration models. Out of this, the best fitted infiltration model will be identified for the prediction of infiltration rate in the east Sikkim.
22. Studied the prediction of lean season discharge of springs to manage efficiently the water needs of the mountain inhabitants.

Demonstration of ergonomically designed equipment

Animal drawn single row multi crop zero-till seed  drill

Light weight power tiller with digging attachment