UAS takes pride in not only providing exceptional academic programs, but also exposing students to the research process by inviting them to participate in project teams lead by internationally recognized faculty. Students are encouraged to get out of the classroom and into the field, the greenhouse, or the lab, where they experience the excitement of discovery while translating knowledge into action. Through outstanding and innovative research programs, UAS faculty, staff, and students are tackling today’s biggest issues in health, the economy, and the environment; they are making a difference.

Focus - University as most successful SAU in the country in conducting apt basic and applied research orienting towards livelihood security of Farmers.

Emphasis on participatory On-farm and on-station research on contemporary issues for increasing agricultural productivity and food security, Nutritional security besides protecting the environment in the region.

The University is catering to the research needs of 10 districts of Southern Karnataka coming under the jurisdiction of UAS, Bangalore comprising Eastern dry zone (Zone 5), Southern dry zone (Zone 6) and parts of the Central dry zone (Zone 4) and Southern transition zones (Zone 7). The Director of Research is responsible for the due performance of the research stations as well as planning, coordinating and monitoring research in the University. A multi-tiered arrangement involving zonal stations, extension specialists and teaching departments within the University, linkages with other research institutions in the zone, line departments, progressive farmers and agri-entrepreneurs provides operational framework for formulating relevant research agenda.

Directorate of Research is headed by Director of Research assisted by two Associate Directors of Research (ADRs) functioning at Directorate of Research, GKVK, Bengaluru and ZARS, VC Farm, Mandya. The Associate Directors of Research monitor the Agriculture Research Stations and research projects (AICRPs and externally funded) functioning in their operational jurisdiction.

ADRs of each zone facilitate Director of Research in co-ordinating regular on-going research activities of the university and establishing close linkage between line departments in identification and prioritisation of location specific research needs, formulation and implementation of suitable technical programme and overall monitoring of research programme of the scientists working in the zone to achieve the identified mandates. In addition, the scientists will be motivated to develop collaborative research projects for external funding to meet the research gaps.

Each Agricultural Research Station is headed by a Senior Scientist / Farm Superintendent and All India Co-ordinated Research Projects (AICRP) are led by Scheme Heads. The Director of Research is technically assisted by Chief Scientific Officers, Technical Officers and Documentation unit. The detailed pictorial representation of operational setup of directorate is given in the Figure.

The Director of Research with the assistance of Zonal ADRs, Chief Scientific Officers, Technical Officers will coordinate, monitor and evaluate all the research activities including All India Coordinated Research Projects and all externally funded research projects. Teaching, research and extension faculties of the university who are involved in research are annually brought together through Zonal Research and Extension Programme (ZREP) Workshop. The results of the previous year’s research programme viz., variety release proposal / new farm trials/ multi-location trials (MLT)/ technologies for inclusion in Package of Practices / patent / technologies for commercialisation and technical programmes (new, ongoing and concluded) conceptualized during the current year are discussed in the annual technical meets of all the disciplines conducted by respective University Heads are presented, discussed and recommended in the ZREP workshop.  The Zonal workshops, conducted annually which is attended by Vice-Chancellor, Director of Research, Director of Extension, Deans, ADRs, ADEs, Heads of the departments / University, Officers of State Developmental Departments, all the scientists, representatives from other related institutions, progressive farmers and representatives of corporate sector engaged in agri-business / industry.

On approval of Research Council, the newly released varieties and other technologies approved in ZREP workshop will be recommended for inclusion in the Package of Practices of the University. New technical programmes and MLTs will be implemented at ZARS/ ARSs while Farm Trials will be conducted in the farmers’ fields through KSDA and KVKs. Technologies recommended for patents / commercialization will be further processed through IPR Cell of the University.