Scientists

During last five years, under PGR exchange tested >1.5 Lakh imported germplasm samples and made significant interceptions of quarantine pathogens, such as Phompsis longicolla in Helianthus annuus from USA, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerina in cucumis melo from USA, Peronospra manshurica in Glycine max from Costa Rica and USA, Phomopsis eres on Robinia from Hungary.

During last five years, under Seed health testing programme tested ~25000 samples of indigenously collected/ multiplied PGR for longterm conservation in the Gene Bank and reported some unusual fungal pathogens on seeds of different crops from India for the first time such as perfect stage of Fusarium graminearum (Tel.: Gibberella zeae) on Oryza sativa, Dinemasporium americana on Aegilops sp., Phompsis helianthi on Carthamus tinctorius, Phomopsis phaseoli on Oroxylum indicum and Dendryphion penicillatum on Papaver somniferum, and also, reported decade-long survival of fungal pathogens in cryo-preserved seeds of different crops such as Alternaria brassicicola in mustard, Colletotrichum capsici in chilli and Dendryphion penicillatum in opium. 

Developed detached non-wounded fruit inoculation technique for pathogenicity of Colletotrichum capsici on chilli where spot inoculation of Colletotrichum capsici with 20 µl conidial suspension (3-4 conidia/ µl) in water gelatine (2.0 %) results in lesion development on detached non-wounded chilli fruits. The present technique is suitable for virulence analysis of large number of isolates of C. capsici with a short period and could be utilized for screening of chilli genotypes for disease resistance.

Developed a simple hand-made needle technique for obtaining pure cultures even directly from a mixed population of fungi was developed which resulted in purification of several seed-borne fungal species producing exogenous macrospores on seeds of different crops within a minimum possible time viz., Alternaria, Bipolaris, Botrytis, Cercospora, etc.

Standardized detached leaf technique for screening a large number of brinjal accessions against Phomopsis vexans under laboratory conditions in a very short span of time.

Refined solarization technique to enhance its efficacy by integrating farmyard manure as soil amendment @ @ 0.2kg/msq and seed treatment with Trichoderma harzianum @ 5.0 g/kg seed which could potentially reduced pre- and post- emergence damping-off of tomato, chillies and brinjal seedlings.

Developed anti-potato and anti-tomato polyclonal immunoprobes for serodiagnosis of bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. Optimized antigen concentration as 7.5 x 10⁶ cells for potato and 5 x 10⁷ cells for tomato per well and dilution of immunoprobes as 1:250 for potato and 1:175 for tomato strains for Indirect ELISA.

Standardized universal rice primer-polymerase chain reaction technique for analysis of genetic diversity in indigenous and exotic isolates of Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler infecting different hosts. Among the 13 URPs, only 5 primers yielded good reproducibility and the size of the multiple amplified bands ranged from 0.15 Kb to 2.5 Kb.

Studied on genetic variability of 5 isolates of P. vexans employing RAPD Marker Technique which revealed similarity between isolates. Of the 12 primers tested, 8 primers generated banding pattern were selected for RAPD-PCR. A Total of 91 bands were amplified and polymorphic bands revealed similarity coefficient ranging 44.44 to 68.68 per cent. The size of RAPD ranged from 1.00 kb to 0.30 kb.

Scientist of the Year Award-2019 conferred by Agricultural & Environmental Technology Development Society (AETDS), U.S. Nagar, UK, India during International Conference ‘GAAFES-2019’organized at UGC-HRD Centre, Kumaun University, Nanital on Dec 1-2, 2019.

Best Oral Presentation Award conferred by Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi for the paper entitled 'Conventional techniques of seed health testing: pivotal in disease-free import and safe conservation of plant genetic resources in National Genebank, India presented during Technical Session 17 on International Trade and biosecurity of 7^th International Conference on Phytopathology in achieving sustainable development goals’ organized at ICAR-IARI on Jan. 16-20, 2020.

Reviewer Excellence Award conferred by Agricultural Research Communication, Karnal on September 16, 2019.

3^rd Price under Hindi Kavita Path Pratiyogit’ on September 28, 2019 during Hindi Pakhwada-2019 organized by ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi.

Best Poster award for poster entitled ‘Simultaneous detection of dark leaf spot and black rot pathogen of crucifers’ by Raj Kiran, Pardeep Kumar, Jameel Akhtar, Baleshwar Singh, Krishna Nair and SC Dubey presented in 1st International Conference on ‘Climate Chnage and Adaptive Crop Protection for sustainable Agri-horticulture land scape’ organized by Society of Plant Protection Sciences, New Delhi held at ICAR-NRC on Seed Spices, Ajmer on Dec. 20-22, 2018.

Smt. Kavuri Sarada Memorial Award 2014 for the best research paper entitled “Genetic diversity analysis of Aternaria alternata isolates infecting different crops using URP and ISSR markers” published in the Indian Journal of Plant Protection Vol. 42, 2014 by the Plant Protection Association of India.

Scroll of Honour awarded by to Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi for dedicated services as Zonal Councillor (Delhi Zone) 2015.

Best Poster Presentation Award for the poster entitled “Rapid and sensitive detection of seed borne pathogen Colletotrichum capsici in Capsicum annuum using Loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay” in 6th Indian Horticulture Congress-2014) on “Horticulture for inclusive growth” organized by The Horticultural Society of India held at CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, Coimbatore on November 06-09, 2014.

Best Poster Presentation Award for the poster entitled “Pathogenic fungi not yet reported from India intercepted in imported germplasm” presented during IPS 6th International Conference on “Plants, Pathogens and People - Challenges in Plant Pathology to Benefit Humankind” organized by Indian Phytopathological Society held at NASC Complex, New Delhi, India on February 23-27, 2016.

SPPS Fellow Award 2009-10 awarded by Society of Plant Protection Sciences, New Delhi for contribution in the field of Plant Pathology.

Young Scientist Award – 2007-08 for contribution in agriculture by U. P. Council of Science & Technology, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow on February 21, 2009. The award consists of a citation, a memento and cash prize of rupees twenty five thousand (Frequency: Annual).

Prof. M. J. Narsimhan Academic Merit Award 2004. For Ph. D. Thesis work in 56^th Annual Meeting of Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi. (Frequency: Annual.).

Pratibha Samman awarded for services in agriculture by Lalit Kala Aashram, Kopganj, Distt. Mau, U. P., India on November 21, 2004. (Frequency: Annual)

Young Scientist Presentation Award for the paper entitled “Studies on Phomopiss blight of Brinjal with special reference to variability in Phomopsis vexans (Sacc.and Syd.) Harter, the incitant of the disease” by Indian Phytopathological Society (MEZ) on Dec. 11-12, 2003. (Frequency: Annual).

Second Prize awarded for the paper presentation entitled “Production, interconversion and germinability of conidia of different isolates of Phomopsis vexans” organized by Indian Phytopathological Society (MEZ) on Dec. 11-12, 2003. (Frequency: Annual).

Best Scientific Poster Presentation Award for the paper entitled “Effect of soil solarization on microbiological properties, disease suppressiveness and fertility of soil” by Indian Phytopathological Society (MEZ) on Dec. 05-07, 2002. (Frequency: Annual).

Young Scientist Presentation Award for the paper entitled “Anthracnose of Chillies: Variability in causal fungus Colletotrichum capsici (Syd.) Butler and Bisby” by Indian Phytopathological Society (MEZ) on Dec. 05-07, 2002. (Frequency: Annual).

Best Poster Presentation Award for the paper entitled “Morphological and pathogenic characterization of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri causing wilt of chickpea” in National Symposium on “Perspectives in Plant Health Management” organized by Indian Phytopathological Society Anand Agricultural University, Anand from December 14-16, 2010 (Frequency: Annual).

Best Poster Presentation Award for the poster entitled “Interception of pathogenic fungi and a bacterium in introduced germplasm” in International Conference (ICPHM 2012) on “Plant Health Management for Food Security” organized by Plant Protection Association of India held at Directorate of Rice R esearch, Hyderabad on November 28-30, 2012.