- All India Coordinated Research Project on Sorghum, ICAR-IIMR, Hyderabad bagged the prestigious "Chaudhary Devi Lal Outstanding All India Coordinated Research Project Award 2019" during ICARs 92nd Foundation Day celebrations held on 16 July, 2020 ::
- Call for applications for Cohort 7 under RKVY RAFTAAR scheme ::
- International Year of Millets (IYoM) 2023 - News
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses webinar on implementation of Budget in agriculture sector ::
- India is celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’. ICAR has taken up ’75 lecture series’. The scientists, students or other interested audience may click this link to follow URL for joining any lecture ::
- Advertisement no 01/2019 for filling up the post of Assistant may be treated as cancelled due to administrative reasons ::
- Kharif Agro Advisory ::
- ICAR-NAHEP in collaboration with the Crop Science Division of ICAR is organizing Hackathon Kritagya- a National Level Agtech Hackathon on “Speed breeding for Crop Improvement.::
Scientific Staff

Dr. IK Das
Discipline: Pathology | Designation: Principal Scientist | At DSR Since: 1997
Email: das@millets.res.in
Profile video Click hereAcademic Qualifications
Degree | Institute/ University | Year of completion | Subject(s) with major field |
---|---|---|---|
Ph D in Plant Pathology | Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi | 1998 | Major: Plant Bacteriology Minor: Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Biochemistry |
M Sc in Mycology and Plant Pathology | Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 1994 | 1994 | Major: Plant Bacteriology Minor: Microbiology |
B. Sc (Agri.) Hons. | Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswa Vidyalaya, WB | 1991 | All Agriculture related subjects including Horticulture, Statistics |
Employment Record & Experience (Starting from the present position)
Designation | Organization | Institution & place of posting | Period (From-to) |
Duration (years, months) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Principal Scientist | ICAR | Directorate of Sorghum Research, Hyderabad | Feb 2012 to till date | |
Senior Scientist | ICAR | Directorate of Sorghum Research, Hyderabad | Feb 2006 to Feb 2012 | 6 yrs |
Scientist Sr. Scale | ICAR | NRCS, Regional Centre, CRS, Solapur | Feb 2001 to Feb 2006 | 5 yrs |
Scientist | ICAR | NRCS, Regional Centre, CRS, Solapur | Feb 1997 to Feb 2001 | 4 yrs |
Current responsibilities:
- Improvement of disease resistance in millets and management
- Profiling of finger millet blast pathogen and management with host resistance and supplements
- Planning, execution, reporting and improvement of AICRP sorghum pathology programme as principal investigator
Recent 3 major contributions:
- First time developed artificial screening technique for identification of resistance against pokkah boeng of sorghum.
- First time developed charcoal rot rating index for precise measurement of the disease. Presently the index is being used in AICRP sorghum for improving reliability of multi-location screening.
- First time reported anatomical markers for assessing charcoal rot resistance in sorghum. It was useful for rapid preliminary screening of rabi sorghum genotypes.
- First time identified resistant sources for Fusarium grain mold in sorghum.
- Collaborator in release of two kharif sorghum varieties CSV36 and CSV39 for all India cultivation.
- Registered 14 grain mold resistant and one charcoal rot and drought tolerant line in NBPGR.
- Registered two superior male sterile line [SLA-9 & SLB-9 (INGR 15063)] and [SLA-29 & SLB-29 (INGR 15064)] in NBPGR.
- Accessioned agriculturally important five Fusarium strains and one Bacillus strain at NBAIM.
- Identified and developed biocontrol agents (Pseudomonas chlororaphis SRB127; Bacillus subtilis SRB28) for suppression of stalk rot and stimulation of sorghum plant growth in sorghum.
Recent awards and recognitions:
- Fellow in professional society: Awarded Fellow of Indian Phytopathological Society (FPSI)
- Research Supervisor: Faculty of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad
- Associate Editor: Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi
- Reviewer: National & International journals with Springer & Elsevier; ICAR & IPS, New Delhi
- Best poster: International conference organised by IPS during 2010 at New Delhi.
Current collaborative activities:
- Collaborative project with PC Unit (Small millet) GKVK, Bengaluru on finger millet blast
- Collaborative project ICAR-ICRISAT in pearl millet blast
- Collaboration with SAUs on AICRP-Sorghum pathology programme
Recent most significant publications:
- Jacob J, Madhus P, Balakrishna D, Das IK (2019). Magnaporthe grisea infection modifies expression of anti-oxidant genes in finger millet. Journal of Plant Pathology. 101(1):129-134. (IF 7.27).
- Mishra JS, Rao SS and Das IK (2019). Effect of tillage and nutrient management on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) productivity in Alfisols of semi-arid tropical India. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 89 (7): 1133–1139. (IF 6.23)
- Das IK, Rakshit S, Sharma KK, Chattannavar SN, Gholve VM, Jayalaksmi SK, Tonapi VA (2018). Development of a charcoal rot rating index for multilocation trials of sorghum. Crop Protection, 108: 102–109. (JrnID: C147; IF 7.83)
- Das IK, Govardhan C, Ghorade RB, Narayana YD, Bhanderi GR, Kannababu N, Sunil Kumar and Tonapi VA (2017). Milk stage kernel infection frequency in kharif sorghum at grain mold prone locations in India. Indian Phytopathology, 70 (2): 178-183. (JrnID: I099; IF: 5.90).
- Das, I.K. and Padmaja, P.G., 2016. Biotic stress resistance in millets m. Academic Press, USA. 246 pp.
- Das IK, Nagaraja A and Tonapi VA. (2016). Diseases of millets- a ready reckoner. Indian Institute of Millets Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500030, Telangana. 67pp. ISBN: 81-89-335-59-6.
Other professional activities
- Secretary, Institute Research Committee, IIMR
- Nodal Officer at IIMR for project information management system of ICAR
- Expert in selection committee at various ICAR institutes and ANGRAU
- Life member of two famous plant pathological societies in India, besides being ordinary members of many professional societies associated with agricultural researches.