Punjab Agricultural University signs MoU with UK University

LUDHIANA: The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK-based Aston University for a period of five year to develop waste management methods.

The memorandum was signed between PAU Vice-Chancellor, Baldev Singh Dhillon and Robert Berry, an expert of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University in UK, a University spokesman said.

Other officials present were, R K Gumber, Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement), H S Thind, Head, Soil Science, and soil science experts, O P Choudhary and M S Mavi.

"PAU is committed to forge ties with the national and international universities for developing quality manpower and research collaborations." Dhillion said.

The MoU also aims at the joint development of a pyrolysis plant at PAU to explore the transformation of rice straw waste into useful agricultural products, Soil Science expert, O P Choudhary said.

It seeks to establish a formal partnership to further the mutual interests and to develop cooperation between the two institutions in accordance with the mission and objectives, Dhillon said.

The agreement states that PAU and the Aston would work jointly for the pot and field trails of bio-char produced from rice straw processing using pyrolysis technology and analysis of raw rice straw pellets, and of the produced bio-char for its fertilizer/soil conditioning value.

The two Universities would also jointly identify and pursue opportunities for the formulation and submission of new research project proposals or training programmes, he Dhillon added.