K.S.Varaprasad | |
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Born | 1 July 1954 |
Occupation(s) | Sr. Consultant, Retired Director, Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research Agricultural Scientist Nematologist |
Years active | Since 1979 |
Awards | Late Sri P.P. Singhal Memorial Award, 2015 Dodla Raghava Reddy Memorial Award for outstanding contribution in plant protection Dr K L Mehra Memorial Award |
Website | http://www.icar-iior.org.in/ |
Kodeboyina Sivannarayana Varaprasad is an Indian agricultural scientist, Nematologist and the Director of Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (Formerly Directorate of Oilseeds Research, DOR), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. [1] He was former Head of NBPGR, Regional Station at Hyderabad for about a period of 26 years. and was associated in the development of 11 genetic stocks in tomato, linseed, jatropha, cowpea, chilli and sorghum. Dr.K.S.Varaprasad is recipient of Late Sri P.P. Singhal Memorial Award, 2015. [2]
K S Varaprasad was born on 1 July 1954 in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. Having completed the master's degree and Doctorate in Nematology from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, served the same Institute as Scientist for a period of six years and then moved to National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Regional Station, Hyderabad as Senior Scientist and served for a period of 12 years. During this period he contributed in the areas of collection, evaluation, conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources as Head, NBPGR Regional Station, Hyderabad for about 26 years and associated in the registration of 11 genetic stocks in tomato, linseed, Jatropha, cowpea, chilli and sorghum; developed world-class laboratories, experimental farm and a quarantine greenhouse complex by acquiring a barren and partly abandoned mango orchard land in addition to six years teaching experience at IARI, New Delhi.,.
Presently, as the Director of Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Facilitated production of nucleus seed of parental lines castor and sunflower hybrids and initiated production of farmer participatory hybrid seed production in large scale. Exchange of over 0.8 million seed accessions facilitated by conducting seed health tests and implement global protocols serving 48 organisations including ICRISAT, private industry and public institutions as designated Phytosanitory Authority representing Government of India during 1986-2011. Conducted seed research and published several research papers in the fields of quarantine, seed pathology, seed behaviour and conservation.
Facilitated to receive over Rs. 777.89 lakhs to IIOR from the external funding agencies; initiated the establishment of multi-disciplinary network programme. through taskforce to address the serious research issues of mandated crops of IIOR; organised several national, international seminars / conferences / symposia, training programmes, brainstorming sessions, kisan melas, winter/summer schools and refresher courses. Effectively implemented the Tribal-Sub-Plan with an amount of Rs. 268.70 lakhs in about 192 villages of 15 districts spread over in seven states to benefit 2546 farmers in the last three years. Presently looking after the planning, coordination, evaluation and monitoring of the research work on oilseeds at national level spread across all the states through 64 AICRP centres working on sunflower, safflower, castor, sesame, nyjer and linseed.
Facilitated collection, evaluation and conservation of germplasm of agricultural crops and horticultural crops viz., Castor, Sunflower, Linseed, other cereals and pulses, Pongamia, Jatropha and other vegetable crops from South East Coastal India. Dr.Prasad has collected 225 accessions of Jatropha and 193 accessions of Pongamia and shared with 3 organizations (CRIDA, ICRISAT, ANGRAU). Eighty plus trees of Pongamia identified and shared with forestry department for planting material. Also Facilitated production of nucleus seed of parental lines castor and sunflower hybrids. Encouraged production of farmer participatory hybrid seed production in castor to the tune of 200 quintals. Facilitated import and evaluation of 40 Mexican varieties of safflower with high seed oil content. Diverse sunflower hybrid parental lines with high oil and high seed yield and high oleic content were identified and imported from Serbia.
Prasad is serving as the President for two scientific societies viz., Indian Society of Oilseeds Research and Plant Protection Association of India. Organised two international conferences on safflower and plant health management in which representatives from 10 countries have participated. These conferences have helped for the inflow of germplasm/exotic material to India and also to establish international linkages in the field of agriculture. Served as member of AP Biodiversity Board. Presently serving as RAC Member of CSGRC, Hosur and as Member of Board of Management, UAS, Raichur contributed for the development and formulation of academic policies and research strategies
The standard author abbreviation Varapr. is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name . [3]
Dr.K.S.Varaprasad is recipient of Late Sri P.P. Singhal Memorial Award, 2015, Dodla Raghava Reddy Memorial Gold Medal Awardfor his outstanding contribution in plant protection, Dr K.L. Mehra Memorial Award, Talented Scientist Award and Prof. D.J. Raski Merit Award; guided four M.Sc./Ph.D. Students; visited Canada, Syria, United States of America, United Kingdom and Australia on different assignments and to deliver lead/invited lectures. He was felicitated by Honorable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh AP State Biodiversity Board[2]. He is Fellow of Indian Society of Plant Genetic Resources, and President, Plant Protection Association of India . He was an Expert member - International Consultation on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, Zonal Coordinator- FAO project (Recognition), Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, New Delhi, Chief Editor,- Indian Journal of Plant Protection, (Recognition), Plant Protection Association of India Hyderabad, Member of Institute Management Committee - National Research Centre on Sorghum, Hyderabad, Directorate of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad and National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi. He is also a member, Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Hyderabad, National Organising Committee, Indian Science Congress, ANGRAU, Hyderabad.
Authored and edited seven books[4] and 134 research papers[9] including book chapters and technical bulletins in the fields of Plant Genetic Resources and oilseeds research were published in national and international reputed journals.
Eleusine coracana, or finger millet, also known as ragi in India, kodo in Nepal, is an annual herbaceous plant widely grown as a cereal crop in the arid and semiarid areas in Africa and Asia. It is a tetraploid and self-pollinating species probably evolved from its wild relative Eleusine africana.
Safflower is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant in the family Asteraceae. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds and was used by the early Spanish colonies along the Rio Grande as a substitute for saffron. Plants are 30 to 150 cm tall with globular flower heads having yellow, orange, or red flowers. Each branch will usually have from one to five flower heads containing 15 to 20 seeds per head. Safflower is native to arid environments having seasonal rain. It grows a deep taproot which enables it to thrive in such environments.
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is an international organization which conducts agricultural research for rural development, headquartered in Patancheru with several regional centers (Bamako, Nairobi and research stations (Niamey, Kano, Lilongwe, Addis Ababa, Bulawayo . It was founded in 1972 by a consortium of organisations convened by the Ford and the Rockefeller foundations. Its charter was signed by the FAO and the UNDP.
Pongamia oil is derived from the seeds of the Millettia pinnata tree, which is native to tropical and temperate Asia. Millettia pinnata, also known as Pongamia pinnata or Pongamia glabra, is common throughout Asia and thus has many different names in different languages, many of which have come to be used in English to describe the seed oil derived from M. pinnata; Pongamia is often used as the generic name for the tree and is derived from the genus the tree was originally placed in. Other names for this oil include honge oil, kanuga oil, karanja oil, and pungai oil.
Millettia pinnata is a species of tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, native to eastern and tropical Asia, Australia, and Pacific islands. It is often known by the synonym Pongamia pinnata. Its common names include Indian beech and Pongame oiltree.
Commercial sorghum is the cultivation and commercial exploitation of species of grasses within the genus Sorghum. These plants are used for grain, fibre and fodder. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Commercial Sorghum species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia.
Jatropha curcas is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, that is native to the American tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America. It is originally native to the tropical areas of the Americas from Mexico to Argentina, and has been spread throughout the world in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, becoming naturalized or invasive in many areas. The specific epithet, "curcas", was first used by Portuguese doc Garcia de Orta more than 400 years ago. Common names in English include physic nut, Barbados nut, poison nut, bubble bush or purging nut. In parts of Africa and areas in Asia such as India it is often known as "castor oil plant" or "hedge castor oil plant", but it is not the same as the usual castor oil plant, Ricinus communis.
Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is a non-governmental organisation and non-profit research and development institute in Tambmal, Phaltan, Maharashtra, India. (NARI) undertakes research and development in the fields of agriculture, renewable energy, animal husbandry and sustainable development. Shri B. V. Nimbkar founded the institute in 1968, who remained its president until 1990. Currently, Dr. Anil K. Rajvanshi is the director of the institute whereas Dr. Nandini Nimbkar is the president.
Rajeev Kumar Varshney is an Indian agricultural scientist, specializing in genomics, genetics, molecular breeding and capacity building in developing countries. Varshney is currently serving as Director, Western Australian State Agricultural Biotechnology Center; Director, Centre for Crop & Food Innovation; and International Chair in Agriculture & Food Security with the Food Futures Institute at Murdoch University, Australia since Feb 2022. Before joining Murdoch University, Australia he served International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), a global agriculture R&D institute, for more than 16 years in different scientific and research leadership roles including Research Program Director for three global research programs– Grain Legumes, Genetic Gains and Accelerated Crop Improvement Program. He has the onus of establishing and nurturing the Center of Excellence in Genomics & Systems Biology (CEGSB), a globally recognized center for genomics research at ICRISAT that made impacts on improving agriculture and development of human resources in several countries including India, China, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, etc. Varshney holds Adjunct/Honorary/Visiting Professor positions at 10 academic institutions in Australia, China, Ghana, Hong Kong and India, including The University of Western Australia, University of Queensland, West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, University of Hyderabad, Chaudhary Charan Singh University and Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University.
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The Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) is an autonomous organization acting as a nodal agency for basic, strategic, anticipatory and applied research on various aspects of horticulture such as fruits, vegetable, ornamental, medicinal and aromatic plants and mushrooms in India. The institute has its headquarters in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India and is a subsidiary of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, under the Ministry of Agriculture, India. It recently has been ranked 1st for the combined years 2019-20 and 2020-21 by the ICAR.
Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) is a decentralised agency of the Government of India. It was established in 1965 as the Agricultural Prices Commission, and was given its present name in 1985. It is an advisory body, not statutory, attached to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
Khem Singh Gill was an Indian academic, geneticist, plant breeder and Vice-Chancellor of the Punjab Agricultural University. He was known for his contributions to the Green Revolution in India. Instrumental for breeding new strains of wheat, linseed, and sesame, he was the author of the book Research on wheat and triticale in the Punjab along with several additional articles on the subject. He was also the vice-president of The Kalgidhar Trust and The Kalgidhar Society, Baru Sahib, which is one of the largest Sikh charities. A Sant Teja Singh Chair Professor in Sikhism of the Eternal Global University and a founding fellow of The World Academy of Sciences, he was a recipient of Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Memorial Prize, Team Research Award of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), FICCI Award, ICAR Golden Jubilee Award and Silver Jubilee Award of the Indian Society of Oilseeds Research. In 1992, the Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honor of the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to science.
Kaderbad Ravindranath is an Indian agricultural research scientist and cotton breeder. In 2015, he received the Life Time Achievement Award for his contributions to the cotton research.
Neelamraju Ganga Prasada Rao was an Indian geneticist and plant breeder, known for his efforts in developing hybrid varieties of sorghum, which earned him the moniker, the Father of Hybrid Sorghum. He was the vice chancellor of Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University and chaired the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He was a recipient of several national honors including Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award and the VASVIK Industrial Research Award. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards, in 1966, for his contributions to biological sciences.
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The Indian Institute of Millets Research (ICAR-IIMR) located at Rajendranagar is an agricultural research institute engaged in basic and strategic research on sorghum and other millets. IIMR operates under the aegis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It conducts agricultural research on Millets breeding, improvement, pathology and value addition. IIMR coordinates and facilitates sorghum research at national level through the All India Coordinated Research Projects on Sorghum and provides linkages with various national and international agencies.
Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11, otherwise known as DMH - 11, is a genetically modified hybrid variety of the mustard species Brassica juncea. It was developed by Professor Deepak Pental from the University of Delhi, with the aim of reducing India's demand for edible oil imports. DMH - 11 was created through transgenic technology, primarily involving the Bar, Barnase and Barstar gene system. The Barnase gene confers male sterility, while the Barstar gene restores DMH - 11's ability to produce fertile seeds. The insertion of the third gene Bar, enables DMH - 11 to produce phosphinothricin-N- acetyl-transferase, the enzyme responsible for Glufosinate resistance. This hybrid mustard variety has come under intense public scrutiny, mainly due to concerns regarding DMH - 11's potential to adversely affect the environment as well as consumer health. DMH - 11 was found not to pose any food allergy risks, and has demonstrated increased yields over existing mustard varieties. Conflicting details and results regarding the field trials and safety evaluations conducted on DMH - 11 have delayed its approval for commercial cropping.
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