Fungal Diseases of Rice and Their Management

Examines the bacterial and fungal pathogens that can cause rice diseases and explores how to manage these diseases, focusing on diagnostic methods for rice fungal pathogens, traditional and molecular techniques for detection, such as biotechnology and biological methods for the effective management of rice fungal diseases.

Deepti Srivastava, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Agriculture at Integral University, Lucknow, India. She is the author and co-author of 18 peer-reviewed research articles in reputed national and international journals as well as several book chapters. She has one authored book to her credit. Her major research area involves plant biotechnology and molecular breeding in rice. She did gene pyramiding of submergence, blast resistant, and dwarfing gene in one of the finest rice var. Kalanamak. Before joining Integral University, Dr. Srivastava worked at the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, where she was engaged in a DBT-funded project that involved development of hybrids of cotton by using a novel male sterility-fertility restorer system and DNA fingerprinting of different bottle gourd germplasms. Her current research work includes development of drought and heat tolerant rice varieties. Dr. Srivastava received a Young Scientist Award from a national and international conference for her research work in the field of molecular breeding. Dr. Srivastava graduated from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, Faizabad, India, and MSc (Ag Biotechnology) and PhD (Agricultural Biotechnology) degrees from Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad, India. During her MSc program, she assessed the diversity of various bottle gourd germplasm with DNA fingerprinting and protein profiling.

Md. Shamim, PhD, is Assistant Professor cum Jr. Scientist in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, India. He is the author or coauthor of over 25 peer-reviewed journal articles, several book chapters, and several conference papers. He has one authored book and one practical book to his credit. He is an editorial board member of several national and international journals. Recently, Dr. Shamim has received a Young Scientist Award (2016) for his research work on biotechnology from the Bioved Research Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad, India. Before joining Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Dr. Shamim worked at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, where he was engaged in heat-responsive gene regulation in wheat. He also has working experience at the Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, India, on molecular and phylogeny analysis of several Fusarium fungus of pulses and also done research at the Biochemistry Department of the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute on plant protease inhibitor isolation and their characterization. He is a member of the soil microbiology core research group at Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), where he helps with providing appropriate direction and assisting with prioritizing research work on PGPRs. He has proved himself as an active scientist in the area of biotic stress management in rice, especially in yellow stem borer management by isolating protease inhibitor from jackfruit seeds and sheath blight resistance mechanism in wild rice, cultivated rice, and other hosts. Dr. Shamim acquired his BSc (Biology) degree from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, Faizabad, India, and MSc (Biotechnology) and PhD (Agricultural Biotechnology) degrees from Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad, India, with specialization in biotic stress management in rice through molecular and proteomics tools. Dr. Shamim was awarded a Maulana Azad National Fellowship Award from the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India, during his PhD degree program.

Malik Mobeen Ahmad, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Microbial Biotechnology in the Department of Agriculture at Integral University, Lucknow, India, where he has been on the faculty since 2014. With his expertise in the area of microorganisms, he oversees the development of ready-to-use diagnostic kits for mycotoxins or other toxins produced in food crops of importance to developing countries. Dr. Ahmad received a Young Scientist Award from the Society of Biological Sciences and Rural Development, which recognizes outstanding achievement in biological research leading to the advancement of biotechnology. In 2013, he was given an International Travel Grant by the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, for attending the 35th Mycotoxin Workshop at Ghent University, Belgium, a program aimed at training eminent microbial biotech scientists to be more efficient in performing science and to discuss ideas with scientists working in the respective area at the international scientific forum. He was also awarded a Senior and Junior Research Fellow of Research Fellowship in Science for Meritorious Students (RFSMS), funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India, to carry out his doctoral studies. He has published over 20 scientific papers in national and international journals and five books. His current research focuses on bioprospecting of novel bioactive metabolites from endophytic fungi and their biotransformation.

R. S. Upadhyay, PhD, has been a Professor of Botany since 1997 at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), India. He is credited with the discovery of the perfect state of Fusarium udum, the causal agent of the wilt of pigeon pea. He is also acclaimed for his contributions to the biology of this pathogen. He has published over 140 research papers, over 60 book chapters, three edited books, and one monograph. He has mentored 27 PhD students ranging on topics such as biological control of plant pathogens, programmed plant cell death in response to pathogens, bioremediation of toxic effluents, induced resistance in plants and their immunization, plant growth-promoting microbes, chitinase production from actinomycetes, mycorrhizal technology for reclamation of wastelands, role rhizobacteria in detoxifying phytotoxic effect, development of molecular markers in tracking microbes in environment and effect of biotic and abiotic factors on plants, and the molecular basis of plant-microbe interaction. Six PhD students are currently working under his supervision. He has supervised more than 60 MS/MD level dissertations. He is a member of various scientific societies and is on the editorial board of serveral journals. Dr. Upadhyay is a recipient of the prestigious Young Scientist Award of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), and Professor L. S. S. Kumar Memorial Award of INSA. He was conferred by the Prime Minister of India with Prof. Hira Lal Chakravorty Award of the Indian Science Congress Association in 1986. He has carried out collaborative research at Rothamsted Experimental Station (England, 1988-89) with Dr. David Hornby as visiting fellow of the Royal Society of London, and at Illinois State University (USA, 1990-91) with Prof. R. K. Jayaswal. He was an INSA-JSPS Fellow (Japan, 1994-95) with Prof. Hajimu Komada at Shimane University. Dr. Upadhyay was the Coordinator of Environmental Science Program of BHU, and he is currently Programme Coordinator of the Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras Hindu University. He was the Convener of the Mycology and Plant Pathology Group of the CAS in Botany at BHU. His biography has been published by various biographical publishing houses including the World Who’s Who.