Dr. R.D. Prasad

 
Dr. R.D. Prasad  Head & Principal Scientist (Pl. Pathology)
Designation
Principal Scientist, Plant Pathology
Educational qualification
M.Sc(Ag), Ph.D (Plant Pathology)
Other Roles
Head - Crop Protection
Division
Crop Protection
Contact Address

Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research,
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad,
Telangana, India- 500030

Tel No
040-24598474
E-mail
r.durgaprasad@icar.gov.in
ravulapalliprasad@gmail.com
Contribution to the scientific advancement
  • Developed rapid screening techniques to identify resistance sources to Fusarial wilt, root rot, Phytophthora blight diseases in safflower/castor and gray mold of castor. 
  • Developed a rapid in vivo bioassay method for screening and selection of potential bioagents was developed using R. solani –chickpea system and P. capsici -bell pepper system. 
  • Germplasm and breeding lines having resistance to Fusarial wilt, Alternaria leaf spot in safflower and gray mold in castor identified.
  • Associated with development of world’s first safflower CMS hybrid DSH 185, first high oleic variety ISF-1 and one high yielding variety ISF -764.Associated with development of castor hybrids ICH-66 and ICH-278.
  • Developed DSS for castor gray mold disease management by deploying Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) in farmers’ fields
  • Identified effective fungicides for management of gray mold of castor, validated and recommended. 
  • Technology on seed biopriming with Trichoderma harzianum, Th4d WP @ 10g/litre water for management of Phytophthora seedling blight, Fusarium wilt and Macrophomina/Rhizoctonia root rot of safflower and getting higher seed yield under dry land condition.
  • Developed a mass production method to harvest more quantities of desiccation tolerant propagules of Trichoderma (patent granted). Identified thermotolerant and saline tolerant Trichoderma strains and patents filed. 
  • Licensed Trichoderma liquid formulation technology to private entrepreneurs and developed Wettable powder formulations (WP) of Trichoderma harzianum Th4d 1.5% WP and T. asperellum TaDOR 7316 5% WP and the technologies are ready for commercialization.
  • Technology on  “Biocoat’ a chitosan biopolymer based Trichoderma liquid formulation seed coating technology has been perfected for seed germination improvement, plant growth and soil borne diseases management in safflower has been recommended.
Projects completed

Institutional Funded Projects

  1. Biological control of soilborne and other plant pathogens using antagonistic fungi and development of biofungicides”- Principal Investigator.
  2. Studies on biological control of soilborne and other plant pathogens using bacterial antagonists and development of bacterial biofungicides – Co-Principal Investigator
  3. Biocontrol of insect pests using entamopathogenic fungi and developemnt of mycoinsecticides” – Co-Principal Investigator.
  4. Biological suppression of plant parasitic nematodes exploiting antagonistic fungi and bacteria in specific cropping systems” Co-Principal Investigator.
  5. Integrated Management of Diseases of Safflower – Principal Investigator.
  6. Studies on variability in pathogens of sunflower, safflower and castor- Co-Principal Investigator.
  7. Development of improved varieties and hybrids of safflower- Co-Principal Investigator.
  8. Collection, characterization, maintenance, evaluation and utilization of safflower germplasm - Co-Principal Investigator


Externally Funded Projects
 

  1. ICAR sponsored Network Project on Wilts of Crops-with special reference to cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular variability – Safflower (2003-2007) - Principal Investigator.
  2. Cotton Technol. Mini Mission Project of Govt. of India on “Biological control of diseases of cotton (2002-2003) –Investigator.
  3. Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India project on “Mass Production of Quality Bioagents” (2000-2002) – Associate.
  4. NATP – TOE Team of Excellence on HRD in Biological Control (1999-2002) - Resource person.
  5. DBT sponsored National Repository of Natural Enemies of Crop Pests and Weeds (1997-2001) – Co-Principal Investigator
On-going Projects

Institutional Funded Projects

  1. Management of Diseases of Safflower - Principal Investigator
  2. Management of diseases of Castor – Co-Principal Investigator
  3. Collection, Characterization, Maintenance, Evaluation  and Utilization of Safflower germplasm – Co-Principal Investigator
  4. Development of Improved Varieties and Hybrids in Safflower – Co-Principal Investigator
  5. Identification of molecular markers for disease resistance in castor – Co-Principal Investigator
  6. AICRP on safflower, Co Project investigator
  7. AICRP on Castor, Co Project investigator

Externally Funded Projects

  1. NAIP sponsored Project “Effect of abiotic stresses on the natural enemies of crop pests: Trichogramma, Chrysoperla, Trichoderma and Pseudomonas and the mechanism of tolerance to these stresses - Principal Investigator.
  2. ICAR Network Project “Phytophthora, Fusarium and Ralstonia Diseases of Horticultural and Field crops” - Principal Investigator.
  3. ICAR Outreach Project on AMAAS “Development of formulations of bioagents suitable for management of foliar and soilborne diseases of sunflower, castor and safflower” - Principal Investigator
Trainings undertaken (National & International)
  1. General Management Programme for Scientists/Technologists for 10 days at ASCI, Hyderabad during 2011.
  2. MDP Training Programme on “Leadership Development for  Innovations in Agriculture” for 5 days at IIM-Lucknow campus at NOIDA during 2010.
  3. MDP workshop on “Prioritization, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) support to Consortia based Research in Agriculture” for 6 days at NAARM during 2008.
Recent Publications (best papers in past 5 years )
  • Sowmya Poosapati, Prasad Durga Ravulapalli, Dinesh Kumar Viswanathaswamy, Monica Kannan. 2021. Proteomic analysis reveals different sets of proteins expressed during high temperature stress in two thermotolerant isolates of Trichoderma. J. Fungi, 7, 1002. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7121002 
  • Shaw, Ranjan; Shaik, Mobeen; Prasad, M. Santha; Prasad, R.D.; Manmode, Darpan; Senapathy, Senthilvel. 2021. Genomic regions associated with resistance to Fusarium wilt in castor identified through linkage and association mapping approaches. Genome, 00:1-14, 24. https://doi.org/10.1139/gen-2020-0048.
  • Prasad, R.D., Poorna Chandrika, K. S. V., Varsha G., 2020. A novel chitosan biopolymer basedTrichoderma delivery system: Storage stability, persistence and bio efficacy against seed and soil bornediseases of oilseed crops. Microbiol. Res. 237:126487.
  • Poorna Chandrika, K.S.V., Prasad, R.D., Varsha, G. 2019. Development of chitosan-PEG blended films using Trichoderma: Enhancement of antimicrobial activity and seed quality. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 126 (2019) 282–290. 
  • Anjani Kammili, Pallavi Mandalapu, Bhavana Ponukumatla, Durga Prasad Ruvulapalli and Chunduri Sarada. 2019. ntrogression of resistance to Alternaria leaf spot from wild species into susceptible cultivated safflower. Plant Breeding, 139, 2: 368-374
  • Anjani K, Bhavana, P., Mishra, D. and Prasad, R.D. 2018. Identification of simple‐   sequence‐repeat markers linked to Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. carthami) resistance and marker‐assisted selection for wilt resistance in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) interspecific offsprings. Plant Breeding, 00:1-8. 
  • Anjani, K.,  M.A. Raoof, M. Santha Lakshmi Prasad, P. Duraimurugan, C. Lucose, Praduman Yadav, R.D. Prasad, J. Jawahar Lal and  C. Sarada. 2018. Trait-specific accessions in global castor (Ricinus communis L.) germplasm core set for utilization in castor improvement. Industrial Crops and Products,112: 766-774.
  • Prasad , R. D., T. Navaneetha  and Venkateswara Rao,  L.  2016. Plant Growth Promotion and Induced Defense Response in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) by Trichoderma. J. of Biol. Control, 30: 40-48.
  • Ranjan K. Shaw, Mobeen Shaik, Zubair Ahmed Mir, M. Santha Lakshmi Prasad, R. D. Prasad  and S. Senthilvel. 2016. Establishing a high throughput screening method for large scale phenotyping of castor genotypes for resistance to Fusarium wilt disease Phytoparasitica, 44:539–548.
  • Prasad, R. D., Sharma, T. R., Jana, T. K., Prameela Devi, T., Singh, N. K. and Koundal, K. R. 2004. Molecular analysis of genetic variability in Fusarium species using microsatellite markers. Indian Phytopath.57: 272-279.
  • Rudresh, D. L., Shivaprakash, M. K. and Prasad, R. D. 2005.Effect of     combined application of Rhizobium, phosphate solubilizing bacterium and    Trichoderma spp. on growth, nutrient uptake and yield of chickpea (Cicer arientinum L.)". Applied Soil Ecology, 28:139-146.
  • Prasad, R. D. and K. Anjani. 2008. Exploiting a combination of host plant resistance and Trichoderma species for the management of safflower wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Carthami klisiewicz and Houston. J. Biol. Control, 22: 449-454.
Area of Research

Basic, strategic and applied research pertaining to biointensive management of safflower and castor diseases, Disease forecasting, Host Plant Resistance

Area of expertise

Plant Pathology, Fungal Pathology, Biological control

Awards and recognition
  • Fellow of Society of Biocontrol Advancement, Bangalore 
  • Fellow of Association of Plant Protection Sciences, New Delhi
Any other relevant information
  1. Accredited to guide Ph.D students in the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad,  University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru.
  2. Accredited to guide Ph.D students in College of Agriculture, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.
  3. Accredited to guide Ph.D students in Department of Genetics & Department of Microbiology, Osmania University, Hyderabad.
  4. Accredited to guide Ph.D students in Department of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTUH), Hyderabad.
  5. Accredited as Fellow in the Society of Plant Protection Sciences (2010), New Delhi
  6. Reviewer for DBT Projects (2008-10) by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India.
  7. Awarded as “Meritorious Scientist Award” by Society of Plant Protection Sciences (2009), New Delhi.
  8. Reviewer – Best Plant pathology researcher award (2010)  by Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.
  9. PMC member of SBIRI projects related to biological control of DBT by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India
  10. Reviewer of research articles - J. Biological Control, J. Oilseeds Research, J. Mycology and Plant Pathology, Indian Phytopathology, Plant Disease Research, Indian J. Agricultural Sciences.
  11. Assoc. Editor, Editorial Board Journal of Oilseeds Research (2003 and 2010-11)