Notable contributions :
Initiated chickpea crop improvement programmes at Regional Agrl. Research, Station, Nandyal of Acharya N G Ranga Agrl. University, Andhra Pradesh.
Established linkages with national and international institutes involved in chickpea research.
Identification and popularization of high yielding wilt tolerant chickpea varieties. During last fifteen years popularization of [JG 11, JAKI 9218 ( desi varieties) and KAK 2 and Vihar (kabuli varieties)] has resulted in more than 90 per cent of chickpea area in Andhra Pradesh is being occupied with improved varieties.
From the chickpea breeding programmes initiated in 2004, ten improved new varieties of chickpea were developed including first machine harvestable chickpea.
N BeG 119, large seeded kabuli has picked up as alternative to KAK2 in Andhra Pradesh.
Recently released large seeded kabuli chickpea NBeG 810 and high yielding desi chickpeas NBeG 452, NBeG 857 and machine harvestable and wilt tolerant desi chickpea NBeG 776 which are being appreciated by farming community and spreading across chickpea growing tracts of India.
Handled several research projects (worth 3.5 crores including UGC research award 2016-18 pertaining to chickpea crop improvement.
Research Interests :
Development of wilt tolerant, machine harvestable chickpeas
Development of drought tolerant chickpeas
Development of extra large seeded kabuli chickpeas
Improving nutritional quality of chickpeas
Professional recognition :
1. Fellow of Indian society of Oilseeds Research, IIOR, Hyderabad.
2. Fellow of Indian Society of Pulses Research and Development, IIPR, Kanpur.
Member of
1. Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding, New Delhi
2. Indian Science Congress Association, New Delhi, India.
3. Indian Society of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, India.
4. Andhra Agricultural Union, Bapatla, A.P., India
5. Integrated Breeding Platform.
Research publications :
International/National Journals : 128
Conference proceedings : 68
Books and Book chapters : 3
Technical bulletins : 5
Popular articles : 71
Booklets and pamphlets: 25
Others :
1. Associated with development of Chanamitra APP
2. CD on chickpea production technology
Awards & Honours :
A. For the research work
1. Acharya N.G. Ranga Agrl. University bagged ICRISAT Science Award 2011 for outstanding partnership in popularizing adoption of improved chickpea cultivars.
2. Dr. Nagaraja Rao gold medal for best research worker in pulses for the year 2012 awarded by Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University.
3. Mandava Research Foundation Best Researcher Award – 2011 conferred by Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University.
4. UGC Research Award 2016-18 from University Grants Commission, New Delhi.
5. Ugadipuraskaram 2018 from Govt. of Andhra Pradesh.
6. Rythunestham award 2019 from Padmashri. Dr.I.V.Subba Rao Memorial Rythunestham foundation, Hyderabad.
7. Woman achiever in seed industry award 2022 conferred by Foundation for Advanced Training in Plant Breeding, Aurangabad, Maharastra.
8. AICRP best centre award 2023 to RARS, Nandyal presented during Annual Group meet of Rabi Pulses , 2023.
B. Academic distinctions
• Scholarships
National Merit scholarship for a period of six years from 1985 – 1991
Recipient of Andhra Pradesh State Merit Scholarship from 1987 – 90
Senior Research Fellowship by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi for Ph.D. studies.
• Medals and prizes
Awarded three gold medals and one book prize for securing University First Rank in Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University during B.Sc (Ag).
Awarded two gold meadals and one book prize for securing University First Rank in Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University during M.Sc (Ag).