Digital and Precision Agriculture Lab
ABOUT US
Digital and Precision Agriculture Lab (D-PAL) is dedicated to advancing innovative, data-driven solutions for sustainable and efficient agricultural practices. The lab focuses on integrating cutting-edge technologies such as remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence to optimize crop production systems. The research emphasizes site-specific management strategies that enhance productivity while minimizing environmental impacts. By bridging the gap between field-level challenges and technological innovations, the lab contributes to the development of smart farming systems tailored to diverse agro-ecological and hydrological conditions. The lab integrates a comprehensive field-lab-modeling framework, enabling a holistic understanding of soil-water-plant dynamics under variable climatic and management conditions. By combining field experiments, laboratory analysis, and process-based modeling, the lab supports the development of precision strategies that address real-world challenges in water and nutrient management, contributing to resilient and climate-smart agriculture.
Dr. Kumar is an expert in developing water-smart irrigation solutions for site-specific precision water management issues in changing weather regimes. He has pioneered innovative methods for precision irrigation, accurately estimating water stress conditions during critical crop growth stages using field-collected data (Machine Learning) and physical models (HYDRUS and SWAT) to inform decision-making. Additionally, Dr. Kumar has devised a novel method for optimizing management zones based field capacity to determine accurate irrigation thresholds and amounts, ensuring the upper water holding capacity of the soils. This approach underscores the necessity of variable rate irrigation as a resilient solution, addressing the challenges of water scarcity during growing seasons. Please reach out at hemendra@umd.edu to discuss the ideas.
Hemendra Kumar, Ph.D.
Precision Agriculture Specialist
University of Maryland College Park
Mission
To deliver advanced, science-based, technology-driven solutions that improve productivity, reduce environmental impacts, and support long-term agricultural resilience under varying climatic and management conditions through site-specific strategies. By integrating remote sensing, GIS, IoT, and AI within a robust field-lab-modeling framework, the lab empowers producers, researchers, and decision-makers to improve productivity, resource efficiency, and environmental sustainability across diverse agricultural systems.
Vision
To set the benchmark for precision agriculture by designing and implementing adaptable, high-impact solutions that directly address real-world challenges in crop production. The lab strives to lead in developing smart, scalable farming systems grounded in rigorous field research, advanced analytics, and cross-disciplinary innovation. PAL aims to set new standards in agricultural innovation by translating complex field-lab-modeling insights into real-world impact for farmers, researchers, and policymakers working toward resilient, efficient, and climate-adaptive agriculture.
Our Latest Edited Books
Precision Technologies for Digital Agriculture: Harnessing IoT, Big Data, Crop Modeling, and AI for Agricultural Production
Edited by: Sushil Kumar Himanshu, Hemendra Kumar, Pankaj Kumar Gupta, Santosh Subash Palmate
Publisher: Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands
ISBN: 9780443405136 (In Press)