Dr. Buta Singh Dhillon, after completing B.Sc. Agri (Hons.) from Khalsa College, Amritsar in 2003 and M.Sc. Agronomy in 2005 from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), joined the PAU, KrishiVigyan Kendra (KVK), Kapurthala as Assistant Professor (Agronomy) on 31.03.2008. He subsequently served as District Extension Specialist (Agronomy) at PAU, Farm Advisory Service Scheme, Faridkot from 10 June 2008 to 10 January 2012. He further contributed as Assistant Professor at KVK Moga during10 January 2012 to 06 March 2014 and at KVK Faridkot during 06 March 2014 to 31 May 2016. He completed his Ph.D. Agronomy from PAU, Ludhiana in 2016 as an in-service candidate before joining as Assistant Agronomist in the Department of Agronomy (01 Jun 2016- 31 Mar 2017) and subsequently in the Rice Section, Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics (31 Mar 2017 to till date).

Dr. Dhillon, currently working as Senior Agronomist (Rice) in Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, PAU, Ludhiana has major research focus on agronomic research for increasing and sustaining productivity of rice. He has authored more than 63 peer- reviewed research papers and 2 research bulletins. He has made significant contributions as a team member in the development and recommendation of 34 production technologies/varieties. Dr. Dhillon has provided leadership to 3 ad-hoc research projects as Principal Investigator and contributed as Co-Principal Investigator in 3 others, while also overseeing 8 testing projects. His international research collaborations with premier institutes such as IRRI (Philippines) and CIRAD (France) have further strengthened his global scientific engagement in rice agronomy. DrDhillon has published 85 extension articles, organized 65 field days/campaigns, delivered 155 lectures in various training camps and delivered 54 Radio/TV talks to disseminate scientific knowledge to farming communities. He has taught 10 UG / PG courses of Agronomy over years and guided/guiding 6 PG students as major advisor. He has actively contributed as reviewer for 10 National and International peer reviewed Journals. DrDhillon is a life member of six professional societies and an executive member of Educational Society and an Associate Editor (Crop production) for Journal of Rice Research published by Society for Advancement of Rice Research, IIRR, Hyderabad.

Professional Accomplishments

Research Projects (Ongoing)

1. All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project
2. Dry Direct Seeded Rice for the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India (PlantDirect) funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Agronomy lead)
3. Promotion of Sustainable Food Systems in India through Transforming  Rice-Wheat Systems (GEF 7 Project) funded by Food & Agricultural Organization (PI)
4. “Mainstreaming rice landraces diversity in varietal development through genomic predictions: A model for large-scale utilization of gene bank collections of rice” funded by DBT (Co-PI)
5. Genomic assisted breeding for development of dry-direct seeded rice ready Basmati varieties funded by DBT (Co-PI)

Research Projects (completed)

1. “Climate Smart Management Practices; Sub-project 2.4: Direct Seeded Rice Consortium (Mechanized DSR System)” funded under ICAR-IRRI Collaborative Work Plan Project (PI)
2. “One IRRI –NARES breeding network (Accelerated genetic gains in rice alliance)” funded by Bill Melinda Gates (Co-PI)

Research Publications:

1. Dhillon B S, Kumar V, Kaur N, Kumar S, Sagwal P, Batra C and Lore J S (2025) Impact of seed priming and fungicide seed treatments on disease development, crop growth and yield of dry direct- seeded basmati rice in North Western India. Journal of Phytopathology, 173: e70134. http://doi.org/10.1111/jph.70134(NAAS rating: 7.10)
2. Kaur A, Zhawara V K and Dhillon B S (2024) Post-anthesis Roots Metabolic Activities Relate Low Phosphorus (P)-Tolerance in Rice (Oryzasativa) Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-024-11344-5(NAAS rating: 10.8)
3. Sehgal Y, Kalia A, Dhillon B S and Dheri G S (2024) Effect of a Slow-Release Urea Nanofertilizer on Soil Microflora and Yield of Direct Seeded Rice (Oryzasativa) Nitrogen, 5(4): 1074-1091 (Impact factor: 2.3)

1. Dhillon B S, Kumar V, Sagwal P, Kaur N, Mangat G and Singh S (2021) Seed Priming with Potassium Nitrate and Gibberellic Acid Enhances the Performance of Dry Direct Seeded Rice (OryzaSativa L.) in North-Western India. Agronomy 11, 849. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050849(NAAS rating: 9.42)
2. Dhillon B S, Kaur G, Mangat G and Kaur P (2021). Influence of Seedling Age on Growth, Productivity and Heat Use Efficiency of Rice. Journal of Agrometeorology 23, 30–37 (NAAS rating: 6.55)

Awards and Recognitions:

Awards

1. Best AICRP Centre Award for Rice (Agronomy) 2024 (Team award)
2. 2^nd Best AICRP on Rice (Overall)-2024 (Team award)
3. Indian Society Agronomy, Associateship Award (2018)
4. Indian Society Agronomy, Best Ph.D. Thesis Award (2016)
5. University Merit fellowship during M.Sc.

Recognitions

1. Life Member of Indian Society of Agronomy.
2. Life Member of Punjab Academy of Sciences
3. Life Member of Indian Society of Weed Science
4. Life Member of Society of Agricultural Professionals
5. Life Member of Association of Agrometeorologists
6. Life member Society for Advancement of Rice Research

Sangat Sahib BhaiPheru Sikh Educational Society, Faridkot