Blast Disease of Cereal Crops / Fungal Biology (PDF)

area of interest include race profiling of Magnaporthe oryzae in rice and working on identification of resistant source, variability in blast disease of rice and finger millet. He is also emphasizing on integrated management of disease in major disease of hill crops. He has published 15 peer reviewed research articles, book chapters and extension leaf folders.
Prakash Ganesan is a Scientist in Plant Pathology currently working at Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. His area of specialization is Magnaporthe-Host interaction, Genomics of Magnaporthe spp. and Genome Editing for Blast Resistance. He is also associated with development of blast resistant varieties. Also actively involved in teaching and guiding the students. He has published more than 20 peer reviewed research articles, book chapters, training manuals and other publications also.
Dr. (Mrs). C. Tara Satyavathi completed Ph.D. in the year 1998 from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Presently she is working as Project Coordinator ICAR - AICRP on Pearl Millet, Rajasthan. She was Principal Scientist in the Division of Genetics, IARI, New Delhi. She has re-oriented pearl millet programme at IARI, developed hybrids (1) and varieties (3), identified QTL(s) for downy mildew resistance, agronomically important traits, developed and identified high grain iron and zinc pearl millet lines, genetic stocks for high lysine, high tryptophan, white grain etc. She developed a number of mapping populations for economically important traits like downy mildew, thermo tolerance, along with a number of white coloured pearl millet lines that are of use in food industry. Dr. Satyavathi received many awards including Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh outstanding woman scientist award (2016), Outstanding Millet Scientist award (2018), outstanding research contribution in Pearl Millet Improvement in the country (2018) and M.S. Swaminathan Woman Scientist Award (2019) along with many best research paper and best poster awards. She has published 88 research papers in reputed national and international journals. She has written six books and handled 20 research projects financed by DAC, Govt. of India, DBT, AP Cess fund, GLDC Innovation fund, BMGF and ICAR. She has successfully guided three students for Ph.D. degree and eight students for M. Sc degree.
Dr Rajan Sharma is Principal Scientist - Cereals Pathology, and Head of Plant Quarantine unit, at ICRISAT, Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telengana, India. He has obtained his PhD degree from Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palamapur, India and was awarded a Gold medal by Him-utkarsh Society, Una, India. He has made significant contributions in monitoring virulence spectrum of pearl millet pathogens, development of PCR-compatible markers and their use in assessment of genetic diversity of plant pathogens, mapping of avirulence genes, elucidating molecular basis of host-pathogen interaction, identification and utilization of resistance sources for disease management, and capacity building of NARS for management of plant diseases. Dr Rajan Sharma has more than 100 publications including over 70 research articles in several journals of international repute, and has also served as Chief Editor of the Indian Journal of Plant Protection between 2016-2018. As a Head of Plant Quarantine Unit, he liaises with the National Plant Protection Organizations for the smooth exchange of germplasm and breeding material of ICRISAT mandate crops. He is the recipient of ICRISAT Science Award (2014 and 2019) for Outstanding Partnership, and has served as Vice-President of Plant Protection Association of India during 2014-15. He is a member of several International and National Societies in plant protection, including American Phytopathological Society, and Organizing Secretary of International Plant Protection Congress (IPPC) 2019. He is recipient of prestigious International Plant Protection Congress Award for Scientific Achievement (2019) conferred by The International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences (IAPPS) for his contributions "for developing disease resistant varieties and integrated disease management strategies in cereals for food security in the semi-arid tropics".

Dr. H. RajashekaraICAR - Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan SansthanDepartment of Plant PathologyMall Road, Almora, Uttarakhand 263601, Indiarajaiaripath@gmail.com+91 8791578163
Dr. G. PrakashICAR - Indian Agricultural Research InstituteDepartment of Plant PathologyNew Delhi 110012, Indiaprakashg.ganesan@gmail.com+91 8510058871