Centre of Excellence in Sustaining Soil health
Centre of Excellence (COE) in sustaining Soil Health has been established during 2015-18 under NADP programme of Government of Tamil Nadu for testing soilsof farmers and offering high class analytical instrumentation and research servicesto researchers for their project works focussed on soil health sustenance. Scientists and Scholars involved in basic and applied research addressing complicated issues related to soil health utilize the facilities of this centre. Sophisticated instrumentation facilities viz., GC-MS, LC-MS, MALDI-TOF, FT-IR, UV-Vis Spectrometers and other important lab equipments are installed in this Centre. Over all support is rendered in this centre for research works covering the soil quality maintenance by balancing fertilization, improving capacity of a soil to functionwithin ecosystem boundaries, sustaining biologicalproductivity and maintaining environmental quality. Ultimately this centre aims to promoteresearch that improves normal and salt affected soils to reach the ability to sustain crop productivity. Total cost of building and instrumentation infrastructure of this centre was Rs. 470 Lakhs.
Besides analytical services this centre offers periodical training (2 day training) to Scientists/ scholars on analytical instrumentation techniques on following titles:
- Chromatographic instrumentation techniques of HPLC and GC
- Mass spectrometric instrumentation techniques of GC-MS, LC-MS and MALDI-TOF
Skill Development Training on “Advanced Instrumentation Techniques for Optimizing Climate Change Research using Open Top Chambers (OTCs)”
Objective of the Course
The Skill Development Training on “Advanced Instrumentation Techniques for Optimizing Climate Change Research Using Open Top Chambers (OTCs) “ is designed to equip postgraduate and Ph.D. scholars with essential skills and knowledge to effectively monitor and analyze the impacts of climate change, environmental pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions on agricultural systems. The training will emphasize the use of Open Top Chambers (OTCs) as a critical tool for assessing the effects of enhanced greenhouse gases and climate change on soil health and crop plants under controlled environmental conditions. Participants will gain hands-on experience with advanced instrumentation techniques, enabling them to conduct precise and impactful research in climate change studies.
Training Content
This training will cover essential topics, including an introduction to the impacts of climate change on agriculture, advanced instrumentation for environmental and soil health monitoring, and hands-on sessions led by experts in Environmental Science on setting up and operating Open Top Chamber (OTC) experiments. Participants will also gain skills in data collection, statistical analysis, and applying research findings to create effective climate change mitigation strategies.
Target Participants
The participants (approximately 25 Nos.) include PG students & Ph.D Scholars from TNAU and other Academic institutions.The registration fee is Rs.500/-per participant for 1 day.
Major activities
- Testing soil, plant, manure and irrigation water samples brought by farmers, entrepreneurs and researchers
- Quantification of extractable organic molecules/ pesticide residues using LC-MS/MS techniques.
- Quantification of volatile compounds in samples by performing GC-MS/MS analysis
- Identification of diverse microbial communities by MALDI – TOF analyzer
- Dissemination of technologies in sustaining soil health in saline/sodic soil
- Offering training to researchers on analytical instrumentation techniques
Trainings / workshops conducted in COE-SSH
Under this Centre of Excellence in Sustaining Soil Health, workshop and trainings were organized. In which more than 275 participants were benefited.
| S.No. | Title of the workshop / training | Date | Facilitator |
| 1. | Food Safety and latest advancement in residue analysis and food authenticity | 24.11.2017 | M/S Thermo scientific |
| 2. | Seminar cum Workshop on MALDI-Biotyper- MALDI-TOF based microbial identification system | 11.05.2018 | M/S Bruker |
| 3. | Application training on LC-MS | 21.06.2018 | M/S Bruker |
| 4. | Application training on LC-MS | 13.11.2018 -15.11.2018 | M/S Bruker |
| 5. | Application training on LC-MS | 17.04.19 | M/S Bruker |
| 6. | Application training on GC-MS |
24.06.2019 – 27.06.2019 |
M/S Thermo Scientific |
| 7. | Application training on MALDI-TOF based microbial identification system | 23.11.2020 | ADAC & RI, Trichy in collaboration with M/S T Bruker |
| 8. | Application training on GCMS | 05.12.2020 | ADAC & RI, Trichy in collaboration with M/S Thermo scientific |
| 9. | Mass spectrometric instrumentation techniques of GCMS –MS | 17.02.2022 | ADAC &RI, Trichy |
| 10. | Hands on training on MALDI-TOF based microbial identification system | 12.08.2022 | ADAC & RI, Trichy in collaboration with M/S T Bruker |
| 11. | Analytical Techniques for Analysis of Soil, Water, Plant, Manures and Fertilizers | 06.02.2023-10.02.2023 | ADAC &RI, Trichy |
One Post Doctoral Fellow research work has been completed on “Assessment of soil organic pools and produce quality under long term practice of organic and conventional farming” by effectively utilizing the high end instruments
Analytical Services
Centre of Excellence in sustaining soil health regularly takes up analysis of soils, water and plant samples brought by the researchers, farmers and farm entrepreneurs through Venture Capital Scheme under this
| Year | Name of the Product |
Samples analyzed (No.) |
Amount (Rs.) |
| 2018-2019 | Soil, Plant and Water analysis | 179 | 90,325 |
| 2019-2020 | Soil, Plant and Water analysis | 158 | 4,60,231 |
| 2020-2021 |
Soil, Plant and Water analysis GC-MS and LCMS analysis |
360 | 686420 |
| 2021-2022 |
Soil, Plant and Water analysis GC-MS, LCMS, FTIR analysis pressure plate analysis and training |
403 | 676293 |
| 2022-2023 |
Soil, Plant and Water analysis GC-MS, LCMS, FTIR analysis and training |
600 | 623764 |