New cropping systems researcher brings high tech to management decisions

Ravinder Singh, Ph.D., started on July 1 as a Texas A&M AgriLife Research intelligent cropping systems scientist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon and an assistant professor in the Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.

Singh is developing intelligent cropping systems that combine precision agriculture, remote sensing, artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-support tools to help producers make better management decisions.

“Producers in the region operate under tough conditions, and water availability remains one of the biggest challenges,” Singh said. “Weather variability adds another layer of difficulty, and input costs keep climbing year over year.

Singh said remote-sensing technologies, including drone- and satellite-based imagery, can provide detailed information about crop growth, field variability and emerging stress. His research aims to translate that information into practical management recommendations and simpler decision-support tools that producers can use without having to interpret complex sensor and imagery data themselves.

Building a program

Singh earned his bachelor’s in agriculture from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India; his master’s in plant and soil science from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma; and his doctorate in soil and water science from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Through his graduate research, Singh developed expertise in precision agriculture, crop and soil management, irrigation, remote sensing, and data-driven approaches to crop production. His research experience included field experiments, precision nutrient and water management, and use of advanced sensing technologies to understand crop performance and environmental stress.

He also spent a summer with Bayer Crop Science designing and executing field experiments in cotton and soybeans to support the development of digital phenotyping technologies for trait selection and crop monitoring.

Working with a cross-functional team, he led the deployment of advanced imaging workflows and coordinated field data collection. Singh processed UAV-based imagery to evaluate genotype performance, stress responses and canopy traits at key phenological stages.

From cotton and wheat to alternative crops

At Vernon, cotton and winter wheat are the major crops in Singh’s research program, although he also plans to evaluate alternative crops and cropping systems suited to the region.

His research will address challenges such as limited water availability, crop stress, nutrient management and soil fertility while evaluating how new technologies can complement established agronomic practices.

Field measurements will be integrated with remote sensing, sensors and data-driven models to understand when and where crops are experiencing stress and what management response may be most appropriate.

“We envision farmers could eventually get a simple notification on their phone flagging stress and suggesting a response,” he said.

Rather than providing producers with more complex data to interpret, Singh said the goal is to turn research findings into straightforward information that can support decisions in the field.

To get there, he plans to lean on Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service collaborators to connect with growers.

Listening to producers and understanding the challenges they already face will come first, Singh said. From there, the goal is to develop solutions that are scientifically sound, practical and economically realistic.

“A scientifically effective technology is not very useful to producers if it is too expensive to adopt,” he said.

Ultimately, Singh said the program’s success will depend on whether its recommendations provide measurable value on the farm.

“Spending money is always a serious consideration for farmers, so the program has to show a real return on investment, demonstrating how a given technology or method can either save money or generate more income on the farm,” Singh said.

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