Dr. Gopal Ramdas Mahajan  Senior Scientist (Soil Sciences)

 

                                                                               

            

                                                                Address: G-9, Natural Resource Management,

                                                                ICAR - CCARI,               

                                                                Old Goa 403 402

                                                                Email: gopal.mahajan@icar.gov.in, gopal.soil@gmail.com

                       

                                                    

 

 

Academic background:

Ph. D. from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 2012

M.Sc., Agri. from  Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 2009

B.Sc., Agri., from Mahatma Phule Krishi Veidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharashtra, 2007

 

Research interests and current focus

Soil fertility and plant nutrition, management of salt-affected soils, spectroscopy of soils and plant nutrients, integrated farming systems, soil and water conservation.

 

Current focus :

1.            Coastal soil salinity and its management to improve its productivity

2.            Spectroscopy based assessment of soil properties and foliar nutrients in crops

3.            Integrated farming system

 

Outreach and Extension

  • Weather based Agroadvisory services for districts of North Goa and South Goa of State of Goa.

  • SHC Goa: Soil Health Card - an android mobile phone app for soil health card (Co-partner with ICAR-NBSSLUP, Nagpur): Developed through a RKVY, Govt. of Goa funded collaborative research project by ICAR-NBSSLUP, Nagpur as lead center and ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa as collaborating center.

  • Land Resource Inventory System - LRIS Goa – an android mobile phone app for land resource information of Goa (Co-partner with ICAR-NBSSLUP, Nagpur): Developed through a RKVY, Govt. of Goa funded collaborative research project by ICAR-NBSSLUP, Nagpur as lead center and ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa as collaborating center.

  • STFR Goa – An online webportal on Soil test based fertilizer recommendations for Goa: Development of e-resources for nutrient management in different crops of Goa. An online programme to get soil health status at a village level and fertilizer recommendations has been developed – STFR Goa. Link to visit webpage: http://www.ccari.res.in/soilgoa/index.php

  • Fertilizer calculator – New! - Developed a mobile (android platform) app for making soil test based fertilizer recommendations for different crops irrespective of area. Link to download the app –

  • https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.res.ccari.fertilizercalculator&hl=en

  • Fertilizer Calculator Goa - Developed a mobile (android) app for making soil test based fertilizer recommendations for important crops of Goa. Link to download the app –

  • https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.res.ccari.fertilizerrec.goa&hl=en

  • Advisories to the farmers and other stakeholders on problems related to nutrient management.

  • Training and awareness programmes on soil testing and soil test based nutrient management in different crops.

Memberships of professional societies

1.        Indian Society of Soil Science, New Delhi, India.

2.        Association of Coastal Agricultural Research, ICAR - CCARI, Old Goa, Goa, India.

3.        Indian Science Congress Association, Kolkata. India.

4.        Indian Society of Soil Salinity and Water Quality (ISSSWQ), Karnal, Haryana, India.

 

Awards and honours

 

  1. Fulbright Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF) Award 2022 of Institute of International Education (IIE), Washington DC, US to deliver lectures at the California State University, Fresno State, California, US in October 2022 

  2. Fulbright Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF) Award 2022 of Institute of International Education (IIE), Washington DC, US to deliver lectures at the University of Florida and Broward College, Florida, US in September 2022

  3. First prize OF THE FAO #GSOIL4N SCIENTIFIC POSTER CONTEST 2022 ($2770) at Global Symposium on Soils for Nutrition organized by the Food and Agricultural Organization, Rome Italy from the 26-29 July 2022. First prize in Theme I and highest vote-getter (8306) among all four themes.

  4. Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence (FNAPE) Fellowship 2021-22 by United States - India Education Foundation, New Delhi, India

  5. Best Poster Presentation Award for the paper – Desai S, Das B, Sreekanth GB, Mahajan GR (2021) Assessment of long-term trends in stream flow of river basins flowing in the West Coast of India, International Symposium on Coastal Agriculture (ISCA Webinar): Transforming Coastal Zone for Sustainable Food and Income Security organized in virtual mode during March 16-19, 2021

  6. Tuition scholarship 2019 ($2770) to attend a training program on ‘Environmental Management’ at Galilee Institute of Management, Nahalal, Israel from 10-23 September 2019.

  7. Early Career Research Award 2017-18, Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, India

  8. International Plant Nutrition Institute's (IPNI) 2015 photo contest for crop nutrient deficiency symptoms Award by International Plant Nutrition Institute, Georgia, USA

  9. ICAR Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Postgraduate Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences 2013 by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi

  10. BC Fertilis Nutrient Deficiency Photo contest 2014 in the Photo contest on symptoms of nutrient deficiencies and excess in agricultural crops, BC Fertilis, Spain

  11. ISSS Best Doctoral Research Presentation Award 2013 by Indian Societ of Soil Science (New Delhi) during 78th Annual Convention of Indian Society of Soil Science during 23rd-27th, October, 2013 held at CAZRI, Jodhpur.

  12. Dr. S. P. Raychaudhari Gold Medal 2012-13 by Delhi Chapter of Indian Society of Soil Science, New Delhi.

  13. International Plant Nutrition Institute's (IPNI) 2013 photo contest for crop nutrient deficiency symptoms Award by International Plant Nutrition Institute, Georgia, USA

  14. International Plant Nutrition Institute Scholar Award – 2011 by International Plant Nutrition Institute, Georgia, USA.

  15. Student’s scholarship for attending the 5th International Nitrogen Conference - 2010, New Delhi, India.

  16. Senior Research Fellowship - 2011, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India.

  17. Students scholarship to attend International Nitrogen Conference 2010 of International Nitrogen Initiative at New Delhi, India

  18. Junior Research Fellowship - 2007, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India.

Academic/ Student advising

  • Guided 1 M.Sc. and 6 undergraduation students for a internship training programmes of 1 to 2 months.

  • Guided 60 students for a two to four-month exposure activity on the laboratory analysis

  • Co-coordinator - One month Orientation Training of three newly joined scientist Newly joined ICAR-ARS scientist at ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa, Goa during April-May 2016

  • Coordinator - Field Experience Training, A team of six newly joined ICAR-ARS scientists, 103rd FOCARS from NAARM, Hyderabad, India

  • Co-coordinator, One month orientation training of newly joined scientist at ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa, Goa during Oct-Nov 2016.

Research publications

Journals

  • Mahajan GR, Das B, Gaikwad B, Murgaokar D, Patel KP, Kullkarni RM, (2022) Hyperspectral remote sensing-based prediction of the soil pH and salinity in the soil to water suspension and saturation paste extract of salt-affected soils of the west coast region. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science, 70(2), 182-190. Doi: 10.5958/0974-0228.2022.00018.4

  • Faleiro JR, Hamadttu Abdel Farag El-Shafie, Allan Cameron Oehlschlager, Salah Mohammed Ahmed Aleid, and Mahajan GR (2022) Field evaluation of repellents against red palm weevil Rhynchophorusferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) through trap shutdown studies. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection 129, 791–804.

  • Mahajan GR, Desai S, Manivannan S, Manjunath BL, Verma RR, Das B, Murgaokar D, Desai A, Morajkar S, Kulkarni RM (2021) Soil and Water Conservation Measures Improve Soil Microbial Activity and Carbon Sequestration: A Study on High Density Cashew in West Coast Region of India. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science, 69(4), 378-388. DOI: 10.5958/0974-0228.2021.00059.1

  • Kumar P, Desai AR, Arunachalam V, Gupta MJ, Paramesha V, Rajkumar SR, Maneesha SR, Sreekanth GB, Mahajan GR, Desai S, Shishira D, Janjal AV (2021) A conceptual framework for agro-ecotourism development for livelihood security. Indian Journal of Agronomy 66 (5th IAC Special issue): S184-S190.

  • Paramesha V, Singh SK, Mohekar DS, Arunachalama V, Misra SD, Jat SL, Kumar P, Nath AJ, Kumar N, Mahajan GR, Bhagat T (2021) Impact of sustainable land-use management practices on soil carbon storage and soil quality in the Goa state of India. Land Degradation and Development,33:28–40. doi: 10.1002/ldr.4124.

  • Mahajan GR, Das B, Morajkar S, Desai A, Murgaokar D, Patel K, Kulkarni R M (2021). Comparison of soil quality indexing methods for salt-affected soils of Indian coastal region. Environmental Earth Sciences80: 725. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09922-x.

  • Mahajan GR, Manjunath BL, Morajkar S, Desai A, Das B, Paramesh V (2021). Long-term effect of various organic and inorganic nutrient sources on rice yield and soil quality in west coast India using suitable indexing techniques. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 52:15, 1819-1833, DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2021.1900221

  • Paramesh V, Chakurkar EB, Bhagat T, Sreekanth GB, Chethan Kumar HB, Rajkumar S, Gokuldas PP, Mahajan GR, Manohara KK, Ravishankar N (2021) Impact of integrated farming system on residue recycling, nutrient budgeting and soil health.Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 91 (1): 44–8.

  • Mahajan GR, Das, B, Murgaokar D, Herrmann I, Berger K, Sahoo RN, Patel KP, Desai A, Morajkar S, Kulkarni RM (2021) Monitoring the foliar nutrients status of mango using spectroscopy-based novel spectral indices and PLSR-combined machine learning models. Remote Sensing, 13(4): 641. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13040641.

  • Mahajan GR, Das B, Gaikwad B, Murgaonkar D, Morajkar S, Desai A, Patel KP, Kulkarni RM (2020) Monitoring properties of the salt-affected soils by multivariate analysis of the visible and near-infrared hyperspectral data. Catena, 198: 105041. DOI: 10.1016/j.catena.2020.105041.

  • Mahajan GR, Das B, Manivannan S, Manjunath BL, Verma RR, Desai S, Kulkarni RM, Latare AM, Sale R, Murgaonkar D, Patel KP, Morajkar S, Desai A, Barnes N (2020) Soil and water conservation measures improve soil carbon sequestration and soil quality under cashews. International Journal of Sediment Research. 36(2): 190-206. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsrc.2020.07.009.

  • Mahajan G R, Das B, Morajkar S, Desai A, Murgaokar D, Kulkarni R M, Sale R, Patel K (2020). Soil quality assessment of coastal salt-affected acid soils of India. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 27(21):26221-26238. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09010-w.

  • Paramesh V, Sreekanth GB, Chakurkar EB, Chethan Kumar HB, Gokuldas PP, Manohara KK, Mahajan GR, Rajkumar RS, Ravisankar N, Panwar AS (2020) Trophic network and ecosystem network analysis in a smallholder integrated crop-fish-livestock system for coastal lowland situation in tropical humid conditions of India. Sustainability 12(12): 5017.

  • Das B, Manohara KK, Mahajan GR, Sahoo RN (2020) Spectroscopy based novel spectral indices, PCA-and PLSR-coupled machine learning models for salinity stress phenotyping of rice. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 229:117983.doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2019.117983.

  • Mahajan GR, Pandey RN, Datta SC, Kumar D, Sahoo RN. (2019) Monitoring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Leaf Nitrogen using Diagnostic Tools for Fertilizer Nitrogen Management. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science, 67(3):329-40.

  • Paramesha V, Ranjan Parajuli, E.B. Chakurkar, G.B. Sreekanth, H.B. Chetan Kumar, P.P. Gokuldas, Mahajan GR, K.K. Manohara, Reddy K. Viswanatha, N. Ravisankar(2019)Sustainability, energy budgeting and life cycle assessment of crop- dairy-fish-poultry mixed farming system for coastal lowlands under humid tropic condition of India. Energy,188: 116101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.116101.

  • Mahajan GR, Pandey RN, Datta SC, Sahoo RN, Dinesh Kumar, Murgaonkar D, Patel K (2019). Predicting post-harvest soil test values in hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) – wheat (Triticum aesitvum L.) cropping sequence using a multivariate analysis technique. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 50:13, 1624-1639, DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2019.1631328.

  • ThombareNandkishore, Mishra Sumit, Siddiqui MZ,Jha Usha, Singh Deodhari, Mahajan, GR (2018) Design and development of guar gum based novel, superabsorbent and moisture retaining hydrogels for agricultural applications. Carbohydrate Polymers 185: 169-178. DOI - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.01.018

  • Manjunath B, Paramesh V, Mahajan GR, Reddy KV, Das B, Singh NP (2018). A five years study on the selection of rice based cropping systems in Goa for west coast region of India. Journal of Environmental Biology, 39: 393-399.

  • Bhambure AB, Mahajan GR,Kerkar S (2017). Salt Tolerant Bacterial Inoculants as Promoters of Rice Growth and Microbial Activity in Coastal Saline Soil. Proceeding of National Academy of Sciences India, Section B Biological Sciences,88(4): 1531-1538. DOI 10.1007/s40011-017-0901-9

  • Manjunath BL, Paramesh V, Mahajan GR, Das B, Reddy VK, Chakurkar EB, Singh NP (2017). Sustainability through resource recycling, soil Fertility and carbon sequestration from integrated Farming systems in west coast India. The Bioscan 13(1): 27-32.

  • Viswanatha Reddy K, Paramesh V, Singh NP, Mahajan GR (2017). Socio-Economic Status of Livestock Farmers of Ibrahimpur Village, North Goa District: A Benchmark Analysis. Economic Affairs, 62(2):1-6.

  • Mahajan GR, Pandey RN, Sahoo RN, Gupta VK, Datta SC, Dinesh Kumar (2016). Monitoring nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur in hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) using hyperspectral remote sensing.Precision Agriculture, 18(5): 736-761. DOI: 10.1007/s11119-016-9485-2.

  • Mahajan GR, Manjunath BL, Singh NP, Ramesh R, Verma RR, Latare AM, Ruenna D’Souza, Barnes Natasha, Kulkarni R (2016). Effect of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on soil microbial activity and soil organic carbon build up under rice in west coast of India. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 63(3): 414-426. DOI: 10.1080/03650340.2016.1213813

  • Manjunath, BL, Mahajan GR, R Ramesh, NP Singh (2016) Effect of improved nutrient management on grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.,) and soil health under organic management. Indian Journal of Agronomy, 61 (1): 20-27.

  • Mahajan GR, Manjunath BL, Latare AM, D'Souza R, Vishwakarma S, Singh NP (2015) Spatial and temporal variability in microbial activities of coastal acid saline soils of Goa, India, Solid Earth Discussions. 7: 3087-3115, DOI:10.5194/sed-7-3087-2015.

  • Mahajan GR, Manjunath BL, Latare AM, Ruenna D’Souza, Shashi Vishwakarma, N. P. Singh (2015) Fertility Status of the Unique Coastal Acid Saline Soils of Goa. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science. 63(2): 232-237.

  • Mahajan GR, Manjunath BL, Latare AM, Ruenna D’Souza, Shashi Vishwakarma, N. P. Singh (2015) Microbial and Enzyme Activities and Carbon Stock in Unique Coastal Acid Saline Soils of Goa. Proceeding of National Academy of Sciences India, Section B Biological Sciences,86(4): 961-971. DOI 10.1007/s40011-015-0552-7.

  • Mahajan GR, Sahoo RN, Pandey RN,  Gupta VK, Dinesh Kumar (2014). Using hyperspectral remote sensing techniques to monitor nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur and potassium in wheat (Triticumaestivum L.). Precision Agriculture, 15(2): 227-240. 

  • Mahajan GR, Pandey RN, Datta SC, Dinesh Kumar, Sahoo RN, RajenderParsad (2014). Fertilizer nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur prescription for aromatic hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) using targeted yield approach. Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences of India, Section B Biological Sciences, 84(3): 537-547. 

  • Mahajan GR, Pandey RN, Dinesh Kumar, S. C. Datta, R. N. Sahoo, RajenderParsad (2014) Development of critical values for the leaf color chart, SPAD and Fieldscout CM 1000 for fixed time adjustable nitrogen management in aromatic hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.). Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 45(14): 1877-1893.

  • Mahajan GR, Pandey RN, Datta SC, Dinesh Kumar, Sahoo RN, RajenderParsad (2013). Soil Test Based Fertilizer Recommendation of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulphur in Wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) in an Alluvial Soil. International Journal of Agriculture, Environment & Biotechnology, 6(2): 271-281.

Book and Book Chapters

  • Chakurkar EB, Desai AR, Thangam M, Manohara KK, Shivasharanappa N, Gokuldas PP, Rajkumar RS, Mahajan GR, Susitha R, Vishwanath Reddy K, Sreekanth GB, Das B, Paramesh V, Desai S, Chethan Kumar HB, Mayekar T, Nayak N (2020). Coastal Agricultural Resource Inventory: An Overview and Way Forward. ICAR – Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa, Goa, India. ISBN-978-93-5406-829-4.

  • Mahajan GR, Das B, Gaikwad B, Murgaokar D, Patel K, Kulkarni M (2020). Spectral and Smartphone-Based Tools to Monitor Plant and Soil Nitrogen Status for Site-Specific N Management in Crop Plants. Mandal N, Dey A, Rakshit (eds.) R: Soil Management for Sustainable Agriculture - New Research and Strategies. CRC Press Taylor and Francis Group. Apple Academic Press.

  • Bappa Das, Gopal R. Mahajan, and Ronald Singh (2018). Hyperspectral Remote Sensing: Use in Detecting Abiotic Stresses in Agriculture. S. K. Bal et al. (eds.), Advances in Crop Environment Interaction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1861-0_12.

  • Singh NP, Mahajan GR and Das SK (2017). Integrated Farming System Model for Lowland Situations of West Coast of India. Book - Integrated Farming Systems for Sustainable Agriculture and Enhancement of Rural Livelihoods. Muralidharan K, Prasad MVR and Siddiq EA (Eds). Retired ICAR Employees' Association, and ICAR-NAARM, Hyderabad 500060

Others

 

  • Mahajan GR and Ramesh R (2021). Methods of application of Goa Bio 1: A bioformulation for plant growth promotion of paddy under salt-affected soils of coastal regions. ICAR – central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa, Goa, India, Extension leaflet no. 09/2021.

  • V. Paramesha, E.B. Chakurkar, B.L. Manjunath, G. R. Mahajan, S.K. Das, A.R. Desai, S. Priya Devi, Chetan Kumar, H.B. Gokul Das P.P, Manohara, K.K., N. Ravisankar, K. Viswanatha Reddy, S. Rajkumar, Rahul M Kulkarni and N. P. Singh. (2019), Plantation crop based integrated farming system for upland agroecosystem of Goa. Technical Bulletin No: 66, ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Ela, Old Goa-403 402, Goa, India.

  • Manju Lekshmi N, Sreekanth GB, Mahajan GR, Rohita Naik, Sudheer Kumar, Purva Rivonkar, Chakurkar EB (2019) Fisheries laboratory manual, ICAR-CCARI Manual 2019/1, ICAR – Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa – 403402, Goa, India. Pp. 1-48.

  • Chakurkar EB, Gokuldas PP, Shivasharanappa N, Mahajan GR (2018). Technologies of ICAR-CCARI. Technical Bulletin, 66/2018. ICAR-CCARI, Goa, India. pp.1-20.

  • Ramesh R and Mahajan GR (2018). Goa Bio 1: Bioformulation for plant growth promotion of paddy under salt-affected soils of coastal region. ICAR – central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa, Goa, India, Extension leaflet no. 01/2018.

  • B. L. Manjunath, V. Paramesha, G. R. Mahajan, E.B. Chakurkar, S.K. Das, B. K. Swain, S. Subramanian, A. R. Desai, N.P. Singh, S. Priya Devi, G. B. Sreekanth and K. Viswanatha Reddy (2017). Rice based integrated farming system for lowland agroecosystem of Goa, Technical Bulletin No: 62.

  • G.R. Mahajan, Bappa Das, B.L. Manjunath, Viswanatha Reddy K., S. Manivannan, R.R. Verma, N.P. Singh (2016). Weather trends of last fourteen years (2002-2015) at ICAR – Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa Technical Bulletin No 61, ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa – 403 402, Goa, India. (The technical bulletin has been published as soft form (CD).

  • Mahajan GR, Prajapati V, Vishwakarma S, Kulkarni R (2015) A guide to use soil test-based fertilizer recommendation to Goan crops (STFR Goa). A training manual, ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa, Goa.

  • Mahajan GR, Gaonkar G, Ubarhande V, Kulkarni R, Vishwakarma S (2015) Soil testing and balanced use of fertilizers. Extension leaflet, ICAR CCARI, Old Goa, Goa

  • महाजन गो रा, गावकर वि, उंबरहांडे वि, विश्वकर्मा श, कुलकर्णी रा (२०१५) माती परीक्षण आणि खतांचा समतोल वापर. विस्तार पत्रक, भा कृ अनु प - केंद्रीय किनारी कृषी संशोधन संस्था, गोआ.

  • Manjunath BL, Mahajan GR and Singh NP (2013). Lecture notes of Short course on “Integrated Farming System Research for Improved Livelihood Option of Small and Marginal Farmers”. ICAR Research Complex for Goa, Old Goa – 403402, Goa, India.

  • Ramesh R, Manjunath BL, Maruthadurai R, Mahajan GR, Singh NP (2013). Water melon production Guidelines - Extension Folder No. 64/ 2013. ICAR Research Complex for Goa, Old Goa.

  • Ramesh R, Manjunath BL, Maruthadurai R, Mahajan GR, Singh NP (2013). Cowpea production Guidelines - Extension Folder No. 65/ 2013. ICAR Research Complex for Goa, Old Goa.

Databases, software, portals, apps

 

Web portal

  • STFR Goa: Soil Test based Fertilizer Recommendations Goa – An online webportal

  • Decision Support System for State of Goa

Android mobile phones apps for agricultural input management developed for farmers, researchers and other stakeholders

  • Fertilizer calculator Goa

  • Fertilizer calculator – NEW!

  • Nutrient to fertilizer calculator

  • Pesticide calculator

  • Seed calculator

  • Plant population calculator