Area of specialization
Plant male sterility and heterosis breeding
Current area of research
- Large-scale generation and evaluation of pigeonpea hybrids
- Genomics-assisted improvement in pigeonpea
Major research achievements
- Contributed as developer to the early-maturing pigeonpea variety IPA 15-06 (150 days), released and notified for the central zone.
- Developed two pigeonpea hybrids, IPH 15-03 and IPH 09-5; IPH 15-03 is the first pigeonpea hybrid released and notified for the NWPZ. Both are CMS-based and offer a 28–30% yield advantage over UPAS 120 and Pusa 992.
- Co-developer of long-duration pigeonpea varieties IPA 15-2 and IPA 206 for the North Eastern Plain Zone.
- Registered pre-breeding germplasm with the Indian National Genebank — IPAC 79 (INGR 20023), IPAV 16-1 (INGR 20025) and IPA Cleisto 10 (INGR 22155).
- Developed three new CMS lines (ICPL 88039A, Pusa 992A, DPP 3-2A) through the backcross technique; ICPL 88039A and its maintainer are registered (INGR 23047).
Awards and recognitions
- Featured among the world’s top-cited (2%) researchers for six consecutive years (2019–2024)
- Associate Fellowship (2023), National Academy of Agricultural Sciences
- INSA Young Scientist Medal (2016) for outstanding contribution in pigeonpea genomics and hybrid breeding
- IIPR Best Scientist Award (young scientist), 2017
- ISPRD Young Scientist Award 2017 and Fellowship 2019
- Best Team Award (Research & Development), ICAR-IIPR, 2021
Publications
Personal information
- Date of joining ICAR
27th April, 2011
- Discipline and specialization
Genetics & Plant Breeding
Training & Exposure
9th ICRISAT-CEG Training Course on Molecular Plant Breeding, 7th-18th November 2011, ICRISAT, Hyderabad, India
Workshop on Digitalization of Breeding Database through Breeding Management System of Integrated Breeding Platform, 14th-18th November 2016, ICRISAT, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Training on Digitalization of Breeding Database through Breeding Management System, 15th-18th November 2017, ICAR-IIPR, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Workshop on Digitalization of Breeding Database through Breeding Management System of Integrated Breeding Platform, 4th August 2017, NASC Complex, New Delhi, India
BMS data management review, planning and training workshop, 23rd-27th July 2018, Salima, Lilongwe, Malawi