Advances in Plant Disease Management (PDF)

(Plant Sciences), ASRB, New Delhi in the Ministry of Agri. & Farmers Welfare, GOI, New Delhi. He was President of Indian Society of Mycology & Plant Pathology for two consecutive years from 2018-19 to 2019-20 and also of Indian Phytopathological Society during 2020-21. He is a Fellow of NAAS, New Delhi, besides several other Professional Scientific Societies.

>50 research papers in journals of international repute and authored a very popular text book "Plant Bacteriology" published by Kalyani publishers. He has delivered lead talks, guest lectures in international conferences across the world including Philippines, Vietnam, China, Thailand and USA.

Dr. M. S. Saharan did his PhD in Plant pathology (Gold Medalist) from CCS HAU, Hisar, Haryana. He is presently Head, Division of Plant Pathology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Earlier till 2016, he served in different capacities like Scientist, Senior Scientist, Principal Scientist and Principal Investigator, Crop Protection at ICAR-IIWBR, Karnal. He contributed significantly in Wheat Pathology research and actively participated in strategy implemenation for managing wheat rusts and Karnal bunt in main wheat belt of the country. He characterized Fusarium spp. causing head scab of wheat. He was also associated in draft genome sequencing of Tilletia indica and Bipolaris sorokiniana, two major pathogens of wheat He has rich experience on genetics of resistance and management aspects of plant diseases. He contributed significantly in the development and release of 16 wheat varieties in the country besides registering 23 wheat genetic stocks for rusts, Karnal bunt, head scab and spot blotch resistance. He worked in many international collaborative research projects viz., ISCB, ACIAR, CIMMYT, BBSRC etc. He is widely travelled scientist and visited Mexico, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Kenya, Turkey, Malaysia, Australia, Italy and USA for participating and presenting invited talks in international conferences. He is recipient of prestigious BGRI Gene Stewardship Award and is also a Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi besides Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi and Society for Advancement of Wheat & Barley Research, Karnal.

Dr. J. Kumar did his Ph.D. from Dr YSPUH&F, Solan, H.P. in Mycology & Plant Pathology and is Alexander Humboldt Fellow of Germany. He served ICAR in several capacities like Principal Scientist, IIWBR, Karnal; Head of IARI Regional Research Stations at Wellington (T.N.) and also, at Shimla (H.P.), Joint Director, School of Crop Health Biology Research, ICAR-NIBSM, Raipur, Chhattisgarh (2015) and Director of ICAR - National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur, Chhattisgarh - a deemed to be University. He has vast experience of developing plant disease forecasting models. He worked on bio - chemical basis of host resistance in cereals besides earning specialization in breeding for disease resistance in wheat. He is associated with development of 12 wheat varieties resistant to various diseases in India. He has rich experience of research in plant pathology and molecular biology through international exposure during his research stay at CIMMYT, Mexico and Justus Liebig University, Germany. He registered five genetic stocks with ICAR-NBPGR. Dr. Kumar visited Germany, Mexico, Hungary, Belgium, China and Nepal as a part of his research assignments. Besides, having several awards, he is fellow of Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi and Society for Advancement of Wheat & Barley Research, Karnal.

Dr. C. D. Mayee is a renowned Plant Protection scientist and is currently serving as the President of the South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC), New Delhi and Chairman of Agricultural Finance Corporation of India, Mumbai. Born in a farming family of Maharashtra, Dr Mayee obtained his agricultural degrees from Maharashtra and PhD from IARI in Plant Pathology. He commenced his career in Plant Pathology research at IARI and worked in various capacities at Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack; Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana; the Ford Foundation, Delhi and Maharashtra Agricultural University (MAU) Parbhani for nearly 30 years. The research, teaching and extension experiences led him to serve as Vice Chancellor-MAU Parbhani; Director-Central Institute of Cotton, Nagpur and Agriculture Commissioner, Govt. of India, New Delhi before superannuating as the Chairman, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Government of India.

Though specialized in Plant Pathology, Dr. Mayee committed himself for the overall growth of Indian Agriculture. He guided 20 PhD and more than 38 MSc students, wrote several books and monographs, published over 200 scientific publications in journals of repute and served the cause of Agriculture Cop Protection through development of the subject. He is Fellow of several scientific committees and associations including Alexander Humboldt Fellow of Germany and National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS). He is also a member of several international societies including ISAAA and ABNE, Africa. Biotechnology is his passion and he is instrumental in first commercial release of Bt cotton in India in 2002, a great feat that revolutionized cotton production in the country. Dr. Mayee has been. He is recipient of several honours and awards for agriculture development including the life time Achievements Awards and honorary Doctors of Philosophy from many Universities. Currently Dr Mayee is Member on the Board of Management of many organizations and Universities. His super administrative capabilities and practical knowledge on plant protection issues and rational policy decisions on agriculture including those related to crops biosecurity makes him one of the much sought-after scientists in the academia and among policy makers. He has widely travelled and visited more than 50 countries in the world.