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  TOPIC OF THE MONTH

Dr. D. Girija

Professor & Head

Genesis

Department of Agrl. Microbiology started functioning as a small unit under the Department of Plant Pathology from 2003 onwards. Subsequently, the unit started functioning as a separate Department of Agricultural Microbiology from May 2010. The Department is now functioning in the Radio-Tracer Laboratory building in College of Horticulture.

   Mandate

To strengthen teaching, research and extension in the field of Agricultural Microbiology.

Apart from teaching, our proposed activities include:

•       Large scale production and distribution of bio agents for the benefit of farmers.

•       Impart training to students, extension personnel, entrepreneurs and farmers on biofertilizers and biocontrol agents.

•       Explore new frontier areas of Agricultural Microbiology like metagenomics, identification of novel microbes and genes using molecular techniques, documentation of diversity of agriculturally important microorganisms etc.

Activities

 1.      Teaching           i) UG- Agricultural Microbiology

                                              ii) PG-the following courses are being offered to PG students

The following projects are being operated in the Department.

 3.      Extension

The following training programmes are being organized by the Department.

 Faculty Profile
 
Dr. D. Girija
    Designation                             : Professor
    Educational Qualification           : M.Sc. (Ag) in Agricultural Microbiology from UAS, Bangalore
                                                    Ph.D. in Microbiology from IARI, New Delhi
    Total experience                      : 22 years
    No. of students guided              : 9
    No. of externally aided projects as Principal Investigator:
                                                 i. Ongoing       : 2
                                                ii. Completed  : 3

Dr. Surendra Gopal

Designation                             : Associate Professor

Dr. M.V. Rajendran Pillai
    Designation                             : Professor (Agrl. Microbiology) & HoD
    Educational qualifications          : MSc (Ag) in Plant Pathology from KAU
                                                    PhD in Plant Pathology from KAU
    Experience                               : Total 32 years of teaching and research.
    No of students guided               : 5 M Sc + 1 PhD
    Area of Research                     : Biofertilizers, Pesticide-microbe interaction

 Areas of interest

• Molecular diversity of agriculturally important microorganisms

• Waste management

• Microbial Biotechnology

 Research highlights

• Obtained 500 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis from the Western Ghats. Confirmed by crystal protein staining.

• Characterized all the above isolates by cultural, morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization

• 300 Bt isolates were tested for insecticidal activity based on cry gene profiling

• Conducted bioassay of 300 isoates of Bt on Diaphania indica for insecticidal property

• Cloned the partial coding sequence of cry 7 and full cds of cry1Ac from native Bt isolates

• Analysed molecular diversity by Rep-PCR

Important  publications

•       D. Girija, Bindu, M.B., Nazeem, P.A., Krishnan, G.S. and Jayasimhan, J.  2007. Molecular    characterization of an   endophytic nitrogen fixing bacterium associated with black pepper. In Recent trends in  Horticultural Biotechnology. (eds. Keshavachandran et al.) ,New India Publishing Agency,   New Delhi. Pp 909-916

•       D. Girija, P.S. Beena, P.A. Nazeem, and Purushothama M.G. 2007.   Molecular cloning  of a cDNA fragment encoding hydroxy methylglutaryl CoA reductase in Piper colubrinum.  In Recent trends in  Horticultural Biotechnology. (eds. Keshavachandran et al.) ,New India Publishing Agency,   New Delhi. pp 909-916

•       Fatima A.G., Girija, D., Meera C.S., Nazeem P.A. and Joseph L. 2007. Agrobacterium   mediated genetic transformation in bell pepper. In  Recent trends in  Horticultural Biotechnology. (eds. Keshavachandran et al.), New India Publishing Agency,   New Delhi. Pp    909-916

•       D. Girija, P.S. Beena, P.A. Nazeem, Smitha Jose and C.T. Abraham. 2006.   Molecular  cloning of a cDNA fragment encoding 3-hydroxy-3- methylglutaryl CoA reductase in kantkari (Solanum xanthocarpum).  J. Tropic. Agric. 43 .

•      Girija, D., Fatima, A.G., Kuriakose, L.S., Nazeem, P.A., Joseph, L., Indira, P., Beena, P.S. and Shaju, K.V. 2004. A viable protocol for direct regeneration of bell pepper    (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. California Wonder.  Capsicum and Eggplant Newsletter. 23:97-100                

•       James, D., Girija, D., Mathew, S.K., Nazeem, P.A.., Babu, T.D. and Varma, A.S. 2003.       Detection of Ralstonia solanacearum  Race 3 causing bacterial wilt of solanaceous vegetables    in Kerala using RAPD analysis.  J. Tropic. Agric. 41: 33

•       Mathew, S.K., Girija,D., Abraham.K and Binimol,K.S.2002. Occurrence of bacterial wilt in Bittergourd and Ridgegourd in Kerala. Bacterial wilt news letter no. 17: 21.

•      Karmarkar, S.H, Keshavachandran, R, Nazeem, P.A, and Girija, D. 2001.  Hairy root induction in adapathiyan (Holostemma ada-kodien K. Schum). Journal of Tropical Agriculture. 39: 102-107

•      Mathew, S.K., Girija, D., Devi, N.S. Sadhankumar, P.G. and Rajan, S. 2000.   Variability in isolates of Ralstonia  solanacearum affecting solanaceous vegetables in Kerala. Veg.  Sci. 27:189-191

•      Girija, D.,  Nair,  P.V. and Mathew, R.   1995.   Effect  of   Azospirillum   on germination and  seedling vigour in rice.  J. Tropic. Agric. 32:107.

•      Jose, P.E., Aparna C. and Girija, D. (2008).Cloning and analysis of the variable region of cry1 gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (KAU11). Poster presented in the National Conference on Genomics, Proteomics and Systems Biology at Tata Memorial Hall, IISc Campus, Bangalore from 1-3 October 2008.

•       Paul, A., Firoz, P.M. and Girija, D. (2008). Screening by Polymerase Chain reaction of Bacillus thuringiensis for the presence of cry genes. Poster presented in the National Conference on Genomics, Proteomics and Systems Biology at Tata Memorial Hall, IISc Campus, Bangalore from 1-3 October 2008

•      Jose, S., Girija, D. and Beena, P.S. 2008. Cloning and characterization of the gene encoding HMG CoA reductase from black night shade (Solanum nigrum L.). Indian Journal of Biotechnology. 7:66-72.

•      Babu TD, Girija D, Nair H B, Padikkala J (2008). Cytotoxic effects of Crystal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis against breast cancer cells. American Association forCancer Research (AACR) - San Antonio Breast Cancer symposium 2008, Texas.

 Dr. K.Surendra Gopal

      Designation                              : Associate Professor (Microbiology)
Educational Qualification            : M.Sc. (Ag) in Agricultural Microbiology from    UAS, Bangalore
                                               Ph.D. in Microbiology from FRI, Dehradun
Total experience                      : 14   years
No. of students guided              : 5    (M.Sc.)
No. of externally aided /Plan projects as Principal Investigator:
                                              i. Ongoing       :  -
                                              ii. Completed  : 1+ 2 (University plan fund)

Areas of interest

• Soil Microbiology

• Biofertilizers

• Plant-Microbe interactions

• Fermentation technology

Research highlights

•       Development of plant growth promoting microorganisms consortia technology for ex vitro establishment of micropropagated vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andr.) and ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)( KSCSTE funded)
  A consortia of AZB11 ( Azotobacter spp. from Valathala) + FP13 (Fluorescent Pseudomonads from Ettumannur ) and B9 (Bacillus spp. from Kolavayal) + FP8 (Fluorescent pseudomonads from Ambalavayal) were found to be the most efficient PGPM consortia for the growth and establishment of micropropagated vanilla and ginger respectively. These results indicate variation in the efficiency of  isolates depending on the location from which it is isolated. Hence, there is a need to identify suitable PGPM for different crops of Kerala.

•       Isolation and screening of different AMF cultures for selected cucurbitaceous crops(Plan project)
  AMF1 was found to be most efficient arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for bitter gourd  and AMF1 & AMF2  for coccinia

•      Characterization of Phosphate solubilising bacteria and Azospirillum from rhizosphere of cucurbitaceous vegetables in Kerala(Plan project)
  AZSP1, AZSP2 ( Azospirillum), PSB4 & PSB6 (PSM)  isolates were the most efficient for bitter gourd under pot culture conditions. Similarly, AZSP1 and PSB1 isolates were most efficient isolates for coccinia

Important publications

•      Surendra Gopal, K., Sharma, J.K. and Balasundaran, M. 2005.Effect of different Rhizobium isolates, soil pH and moisture on growth of provenances of Acacia auriculiformis Indian Journal of Agricultural Research . 39 (1). 64-67

•      Sam T. Kurumthottical, Surendra Gopal,K and K. Vanisri.2005.Effect of Tsunami on soil and water quality across the coastal belt of Kerala- a case study.In: Abstracts of UGC sponsored National seminar on New frontiers of Soil Science Research towards Sustainable Agriculture (NEFROSSA-2005). March,11-12,  2005.Annamalai   University, Tamil Nadu. Pp.12-13

•       Surendra Gopal ,K., Sally K Mathew.,Nandakumar,A. and K.S. Binimol .2004.   Identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from rhizosphere soils of solanaceous crops in bacterial wilt areas of Kerala.Veg.Science. 32 (1):65-68

•      Surendra Gopal,K.,  J.K. Sharma,and M.Balasundaran. 2005. Evaluation of Rhizobium inoculated Acacia auriculiformis in degraded acidic soils. Biofertilizer Newsletter. 13.(1)

•     Thiagarajan, K. and K. Surendra Gopal. 2008. Production technology of Arbuscular mycorrhiza: A biofertilizer. SAARC Agri. News. January- March, 2008.Vol.2 (1). Pp. 5-7 and 12.

•      Sally K Mathew, Manimala,R., K Surendra Gopal,. and Nirmala Devi S.2007. Effect of microbial antagonists on the management of bacterial wilt in tomato. In: Recent trends in horticultural biotechnology (2007). (Eds. Raghunath Keshavachandran, et, al) .New India publishing agency, New Delhi (India) Pp.823-828.

•      Surendra Gopal, K., Sally K Mathew and P.A.Nazeem.2009. Glomus sp.-A suitable plant growth promoting fungus for growth and establishment of tissue culture derived ginger. Biofertlizer Newsletter (Biannual).17. (1) June. 1- 3.

Trainings organized

•  State level training on Production and application of biofertilizers in agriculture for Agricultural officers (17-21^st January 2000)

•       Vocational training on Techniques in Microbiology for B.Sc (Microbiology) students    (26-5-2008 to 7-6-2008)

Extention activities

•     Technical consultant (Biofertilizers) for the State Biocontrol lab, Dept. of Agriculture, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala

•       Member of the State Level Technical Committee meeting of Biocontrol laboratory at State Biocontrol laboratory, Manuthy, Thrissur.

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