Prof. Dr. SP. Palaniappan is a well known agronomist, with specialization in soil fertility management and cropping systems. He is a gold medalist from Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, where he did his B.Sc. (Ag) in 1963. He was awarded the national Meri Scholarship by the government of India for pursuing his post - graduate studies. He did his masters degree programme at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore, in 1966 and he was awarded the Erik Shied for obtaining the first rank in the class. He went to University of Hawaii, Honolulu in U.S.A. on an East - West centre grant in 1968. In 1970, He transferred to the University of Illinois, Urba.na, Illinois, USA. from where he obtained his Ph.D., in agronomy with specialization in soil fertility during 1972.

 He has been working in various capacities in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, since 1972. He was Director (SCMS), TNAU, Coimbatore (l988—90) and as Dean, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore (1990 to 1994). He was working as Director, Nagarjuna Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Hyderabad. He has been teaching courese on Soil Fertility and Cropping Systems to post graduate students from I972 to 1994. He has guided 45 I\/I.Sc. (Ag.) and 25 Ph.D., students in Agronomy. He has four books, eight technical bulletins and over 250 research papers to his credit. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of agronomy, he was elected Fellow of the Indian Society of Agronomy in 1990.