Scientists from ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), Coimbatore recently won the first prize in the National Water Awards-2019 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, a release said.
The team comprising K. Hari, D. Puthira Prathap, P. Murali, A. Rameshsundar and B. Singaravelu received the award for their work on ‘Soil Moisture Indicator (SMI) and its Application in Irrigation Water Management.’ SMI is a device which helps the farmers to assess soil moisture levels while scheduling irrigations and aids in saving of irrigation water. Director of ICAR-SBI Bakshi Ram congratulated the team and noted that 12 firms have been granted licence for commercial production of the device.