Home

Back
Indu S. Sawant 

 

Principal Scientist (Plant Pathology) and
Public Information Officer (w.e.f. 25th November 2007)

Ph.D. (1984) Plant Pathology, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttaranchal, India. (Guide: Dr. A.N. Mukhopadhyay)

M.Sc. (1979), Botany, Lucknow University, Lucknow, U.P.

Research Experience

She started her career as Scientist (1984 ARS Batch) in Plant Pathology at I.I.H.R., Bangalore in 1985 and worked on biological control of Phytophthora diseases of Coorg mandarin. She was successful in isolating a highly virulent native isolate of Trichoderma harzianum with wide host range. She was the first to report coffee wastes as efficient substrates for growth and sporulation of Trichoderma and developed a simple protocol for its large-scale multiplication utilizing these wastes. Based on this technology she set up a pilot plant for commercial multiplication of T. harzianum utilizing a grant from the Centre for Technology Development, Bangalore. She was also a consultant to a cooperative society at Pune for setting up a pilot plant for commercial production of Trichoderma.

She has standardized a technology for the management of post-harvest decay in grapes utilizing the bio-control agent Trichoderma harzianum that minimizes the sulphur di-oxide injury in export grapes and prolongs the shelf life.

Currently she is working on screening for resistance against downy mildew disease, Botryodiplodia disease of grapes as well as on useful microorganisms in grapes.

Other Responsibilities

She was one of the first scientists to report at National Research Centre for Grapes and since then has been actively involved in its activities.

Present

  • Nodal Officer, Intellectual Property Rights, 1999- continuing

  • Chairperson Internal Resource Generation Scheme, 2004-continuing

  • I/c Women’s cell, 2004-continuing

  • Member, Institute Joint Staff Council, 2004-05

  • Member, Publication Committee, 2004-continuing

  • Member, Institute Management Committee, NRC for Onion and Garlic, 2003-05 

Earlier

  • In-charge, Research Management & Coordination Unit, 1997-2004

  • Member Secretary, Research Advisory Committee 1997-2000 and 2001- 2004

  • Member Secretary, Staff Research Council, 1997- 2004

  • Member Secretary, Quinquennial Review Team 2002-03

  • Member, Institute Management Committee 1997- 2000 and 2001- 2004

  • In-charge, Director (during the absence of regular Director), 1996 - May 2001

  • In charge publications 1997-2002

  • Member, Official Language Implementation Committee

  • Member of various selection / Departmental Promotion Committees etc.

 Trainings given

1.         Life cycles and management of important diseases of horticultural crops.

2.         Post harvest problems due to diseases in grapes and their management.

3.         Biological control of diseases of horticultural crops.

4.         Patenting of Agricultural Technologies.

 Trainings acquired

1.      Information Technology in Agriculture.

2.      Molecular Biological Techniques in Horticultural Crops.

3.      IPR and WTO Awareness.

 

Research Projects

Current

As Principal Investigator

v             Management of post-harvest decay in grapes for export (1998- 2005)

v             Management of newly emerging grape diseases of economic importance (1998- continuing)

As Co-Investigator

v             ICAR network project on molecular breeding, 2005-2008

v             Molecular tagging of downy mildew resistance in grape, 2002- continuing; (project partially funded by DBT)

v             Improving fungicide use efficiency in grapes, 1998- continuing

v             Improving nutrient use efficiency in grapes, 2004 – continuing

Past

As Principal Investigator

Use of antagonistic micro-organisms as a component in integrated management of fungal diseases, 1989-1997

As Co-Investigator

Studies on fungal diseases of fruit crops, July 1986-December 1996

Studies on virus diseases of citrus, July 1986-December 1991

Professional Societies:

  •  Life member, Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi

  • Life member, Society for Biocontrol Advancement, Bangalore

  • Life member, Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Udaipur

  • Life member, Indian Society of Plant Pathologists, Ludhiana

  • Life Member, International Federation of Women in Agriculture, New Delhi

Publications

Email : indulika18@yahoo.co.in, nrcgrapes@gmail.com

Phone 020-2691-4245 / 5573 / 5574 (O), 30916855 (R)

Postal Address 

National Research Centre for Grapes, P.B. No. 3, Manjri Farm Post, Solapur Road, Pune -412 307, Maharashtra, India.

Residential Address 

A-4/4, Agarwal Ganga Residency, Behind Mantri Market, Hadapsar, Pune – 411 028.

 

Back