States » NorthPosted at: Oct 29 2026 10:37PM


SKUAST-K secures Indo-US grant for AI-powered soybean breeding

Srinagar, Oct 29 (UNI) Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has secured an Indo-US research grant to develop AI-powered technologies for smarter soybean breeding, crop monitoring and early disease detection.
The project, titled “SoyWatch: Smart Sensing Network for Precision Soybean Breeding,” is jointly supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), bringing together leading institutions from both countries to advance technology-driven agricultural research, officials at the SKUAST said.
The three-year project brings together researchers from leading institutions in India and the United States to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and smart sensing technologies into soybean research and crop improvement.
The international consortium comprises investigators from the University of Memphis, the University of Missouri and Kennesaw State University in the United States. The Indian partners include the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, SKUAST-K and the ICAR-National Soybean Research Institute, Indore.
Representing SKUAST-K in the project are Dr Ajaz Ahmed Lone, Professor, Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Dryland Agriculture Research Station (DARS), Rangreth, and Dr Shabir Hussain Wani, Associate Professor, Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops (MRCFC), Khudwani.
“Their participation brings the University's expertise in plant genetics and breeding to an international research effort focused on developing technology-driven solutions for crop improvement,” officials said.
Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-K, said that engagement with leading institutions in India and the United States would further enhance SKUAST-K's research capabilities, promote innovation and expand opportunities for collaborative work in emerging areas of agricultural science.
The project aims to establish a smart sensing network integrated with multimodal AI tools to transform field-generated data into actionable insights for plant breeders. The technology is expected to facilitate precise monitoring of crop performance, early identification of pest and disease challenges, and improved yield forecasting. These capabilities can help researchers make more informed breeding decisions, assess crop traits efficiently and accelerate the development of improved soybean varieties.
The project will run for three years and draw on the complementary expertise of participating institutions in plant breeding, smart sensing and artificial intelligence.
UNI MJR CDS
Tags: #SKUAST-K secures Indo-US grant for AI-powered soybean breeding
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