09 Jan 2012
Eros Francisco and Sudarshan Dutta join staff of IPNI as Deputy Directors of Brazil and South Asian programs
EROS FRANCISCO AND SUDARSHAN DUTTA JOIN STAFF OF IPNI AS DEPUTY DIRECTORS OF BRAZIL AND SOUTH ASIA PROGRAMS
“This announcement marks a significant milestone for our organization as we place our third scientific staff member within the Brazil Program,” said IPNI President Dr. Terry Roberts. “Our Board of Directors strongly supports the expansion of our presence in Brazil and Dr. Francisco’s appointment within the heart of the Cerrado will accomplish much to support our goal of sustained improvement in nutrient use in Brazil.”
Dr. Francisco, a native of Rondonópolis, received his B.Sc. (1999) and M.Sc. (2003) from the University of São Paulo. His Ph.D. was completed in 2006 from the Department of Soil and Plant Nutrition, University of São Paulo, where he examined the potential for aluminum phosphates as an alternative source of P to rice. During his Ph.D., Dr. Francisco spent 1 year (2005) at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, as a visiting scientist.
On completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Francisco worked with the National Institute for Colonization and Land Reform, providing technical support to farmers related to crop production. He has held teaching positions both as Professor of Agronomy at the Superior College Union of Rondonópolis, as well as Professor of Soil Conservation and Fertility, Pasture Management, and Experimental Techniques with Animals at the Exact and Natural Sciences Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso.
Most recently, Dr. Francisco has been Research Coordinator for the Fertilization Monitoring Program, and Leader of the Applied Research Program, at the Mato Grosso Research Foundation. Selected highlights from this current research program include: evaluating the effect of crop rotation on yield, crop management, nutrient cycling, and soil physiochemical properties, in no-till grain and fiber cropping systems; optimal N, P, and K fertilization for cotton under ultra narrow rows; long-term evaluation of N rate and “ecological intensification” concepts for maize; and testing agronomic efficiency of fertilizers treated with polymers for slow release, ammonia volatilization inhibitors, nitrification inhibitors, and elemental S.
Dr. Francisco’s highly applied field research program has allowed him to become a valued extension resource to farmers and has produced numerous publications within peer-reviewed journals and books.
Dr. Dutta is filling the Deputy Director position that was vacated by Dr. Harmandeep Singh Khurana, who is now the International Agronomic and Technical Support Specialist based in the IPNI Canada office located in Saskatoon, Canada.
“Dr. Dutta is again a valuable addition to our scientific staff, and IPNI will benefit greatly from his strong training in soil chemistry and environmental assessment,” said IPNI President Dr. Terry Roberts. “We welcome Sudarshan to our staff as we are confident he will make an outstanding contribution towards our Program goals for South Asia.”
Dr. Dutta received his B.Sc. in Agriculture (Adv. Soil Science) in 2003 from the State Agricultural University (Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya), in West Bengal. He completed his M.Sc. in 2005 from Punjab Agricultural University, where he examined sorption and desorption behaviors of lead in different soils of India. Dr. Dutta obtained his Ph.D. in 2011 from the University of Delaware. His dissertation title was “Transport of free and conjugated estrogens in runoff from agricultural soils receiving poultry manure: A field and watershed scale evaluation.” Since his completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Dutta continued his work at the University of Delaware as a Post Doctoral Research Associate within the Watershed Hydrochemistry group where he has made a significant contribution to the understanding of the fate and transport of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), trace elements (arsenic, copper, and zinc), and emerging contaminants including steroidal hormones, antibiotics, and their degraded by-products within different runoff components of agricultural watersheds. Dr. Dutta’s research has also involved quantifying exports of dissolved organic matter from the Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area (NRMA) - a forested watershed in Maryland.
His research has generated a number of peer-reviewed journal articles and guest lecture invitations at the undergraduate and graduate student level. Dr. Dutta’s research interest for South Asia include the implementation of regionally appropriate management practices supportive of 4R Nutrient Stewardship, soil conservation, and sustainable agriculture.
Abbreviations: N= nitrogen; P = phosphorus; K = potassium; S = sulfur.
For further information, contact Dr. Terry Roberts at IPNI: tel. 1.770.447.0335; e-mail: troberts@ipni.net
Digital photos of Drs. Francisco and Dutta are available at: www/ipni.net/pr or on request.
Contact Gavin Sulewski, IPNI Editor: tel: 1.770.447.0335; e-mail: gsulewski@ipni.net
PDFs of This Press Release:
IPNI_2012-PR 02_Francisco_12-0116.pdf 
IPNI_2012-PR 01_Dutta_12-0116.pdf
Color Photos of Drs. Francisco and Dutta:
Dr. Eros Francisco.jpg 
Dr. Sudarshan Dutta.jpg
January 16, 2012 – Norcross, Georgia, USA – Drs. Eros A.B. Francisco and Sudarshan Dutta are joining the staff of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) as Regional Deputy Directors for Brazil and South Asia Programs, respectively. Dr. Francisco will be located in Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, and will have primary responsibility for the mid-west region of the Cerrado as of April 1, 2012. Dr. Dutta will be based in Kolkata, West Bengal, and will be responsible for the East Zone of the South Asia program starting May 1, 2012. Dr. Dutta's region will cover the Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Sikkim, as well as Bangladesh.
“This announcement marks a significant milestone for our organization as we place our third scientific staff member within the Brazil Program,” said IPNI President Dr. Terry Roberts. “Our Board of Directors strongly supports the expansion of our presence in Brazil and Dr. Francisco’s appointment within the heart of the Cerrado will accomplish much to support our goal of sustained improvement in nutrient use in Brazil.”
Dr. Francisco, a native of Rondonópolis, received his B.Sc. (1999) and M.Sc. (2003) from the University of São Paulo. His Ph.D. was completed in 2006 from the Department of Soil and Plant Nutrition, University of São Paulo, where he examined the potential for aluminum phosphates as an alternative source of P to rice. During his Ph.D., Dr. Francisco spent 1 year (2005) at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, as a visiting scientist.
On completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Francisco worked with the National Institute for Colonization and Land Reform, providing technical support to farmers related to crop production. He has held teaching positions both as Professor of Agronomy at the Superior College Union of Rondonópolis, as well as Professor of Soil Conservation and Fertility, Pasture Management, and Experimental Techniques with Animals at the Exact and Natural Sciences Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso.
Most recently, Dr. Francisco has been Research Coordinator for the Fertilization Monitoring Program, and Leader of the Applied Research Program, at the Mato Grosso Research Foundation. Selected highlights from this current research program include: evaluating the effect of crop rotation on yield, crop management, nutrient cycling, and soil physiochemical properties, in no-till grain and fiber cropping systems; optimal N, P, and K fertilization for cotton under ultra narrow rows; long-term evaluation of N rate and “ecological intensification” concepts for maize; and testing agronomic efficiency of fertilizers treated with polymers for slow release, ammonia volatilization inhibitors, nitrification inhibitors, and elemental S.
Dr. Francisco’s highly applied field research program has allowed him to become a valued extension resource to farmers and has produced numerous publications within peer-reviewed journals and books.
Dr. Dutta is filling the Deputy Director position that was vacated by Dr. Harmandeep Singh Khurana, who is now the International Agronomic and Technical Support Specialist based in the IPNI Canada office located in Saskatoon, Canada.
“Dr. Dutta is again a valuable addition to our scientific staff, and IPNI will benefit greatly from his strong training in soil chemistry and environmental assessment,” said IPNI President Dr. Terry Roberts. “We welcome Sudarshan to our staff as we are confident he will make an outstanding contribution towards our Program goals for South Asia.”
Dr. Dutta received his B.Sc. in Agriculture (Adv. Soil Science) in 2003 from the State Agricultural University (Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya), in West Bengal. He completed his M.Sc. in 2005 from Punjab Agricultural University, where he examined sorption and desorption behaviors of lead in different soils of India. Dr. Dutta obtained his Ph.D. in 2011 from the University of Delaware. His dissertation title was “Transport of free and conjugated estrogens in runoff from agricultural soils receiving poultry manure: A field and watershed scale evaluation.” Since his completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Dutta continued his work at the University of Delaware as a Post Doctoral Research Associate within the Watershed Hydrochemistry group where he has made a significant contribution to the understanding of the fate and transport of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), trace elements (arsenic, copper, and zinc), and emerging contaminants including steroidal hormones, antibiotics, and their degraded by-products within different runoff components of agricultural watersheds. Dr. Dutta’s research has also involved quantifying exports of dissolved organic matter from the Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area (NRMA) - a forested watershed in Maryland.
His research has generated a number of peer-reviewed journal articles and guest lecture invitations at the undergraduate and graduate student level. Dr. Dutta’s research interest for South Asia include the implementation of regionally appropriate management practices supportive of 4R Nutrient Stewardship, soil conservation, and sustainable agriculture.
Abbreviations: N= nitrogen; P = phosphorus; K = potassium; S = sulfur.
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Ref. # 11121 & 11122
Ref. # 11121 & 11122
For further information, contact Dr. Terry Roberts at IPNI: tel. 1.770.447.0335; e-mail: troberts@ipni.net
Digital photos of Drs. Francisco and Dutta are available at: www/ipni.net/pr or on request.
Contact Gavin Sulewski, IPNI Editor: tel: 1.770.447.0335; e-mail: gsulewski@ipni.net
PDFs of This Press Release:
Color Photos of Drs. Francisco and Dutta:
Dr. Eros Francisco.jpg 
Dr. Sudarshan Dutta.jpg