Krishna Nemali
West Lafayette, IN| Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
| Project Title: | Reducing Water Wastage and Increasing Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Agriculture Using Smart Sensors |
| Field of Study: | Agriculture |
| Home Institution: | Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN |
| Host Institution: | Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand |
| Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
| Duration of Grant: | Five months |
Brief Bio:
Dr. Krishna Nemali has a PhD in horticulture with an emphasis on the physiology, sensors, and automation technology associated with greenhouse crops and their production. After his postdoctoral fellowship from the University of California Davis, he worked as a controlled environment crop scientist at Monsanto Company for nine years. Dr. Nemali joined the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University as an assistant professor in July 2016. He was tenured and promoted to the associate professor rank in July 2022. At Purdue, he is responsible for research, extension, and teaching. He specializes in controlled environment agriculture, which includes producing vegetables and ornamentals grown in greenhouses and vertical farms using hydroponic systems. He also conducts research in the area of digital sensors and IoT (Internet of Things) devices for horticultural crop production. A primary goal of his program at Purdue is to develop new technologies that improve the sustainability (increase productivity, reduce resource waste, minimize environmental impact, and increase profits) of controlled environment agriculture; the program also trains farmers in new technology. Dr. Nemali has published 34 scientific articles in high-impact journals, 19 extension materials, and eight industry articles. He has been invited to speak at multiple national and international conferences and has received several awards. Dr. Nemali is passionate about actively engaging with students and farmers and contributing to science and technology through research. He likes to travel and enjoys spicy food.
Dr. Nemali’s Fulbright-Nehru project is using digital sensors with IoT capability to address agricultural water wastage and nitrate contamination, as well as nitrous oxide emissions from excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers. The project is being conducted at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. As part of the project, smart sensor technology with decision support and IoT capability developed at Purdue University is being tested on greenhouse-grown floricultural crops to reduce water wastage and increase nitrogen-use efficiency. He is also conducting classes for senior-level undergraduate and postgraduate students on smart sensor technology.