ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute

Important

Dr. Rajesh M. K

Head

Division

Crop Improvement

Designation

Head

rajesh.mk@icar.gov.in

Phone

04994-232894 ext 284

Mobile

Qualification

PhD (Biotechnology)

Specialization

Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

· Development of tissue culture protocols in palms (coconutand oil palm) [Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture, 75: 41-47 (2003); Journal of Plantation Crops, 33:9-17 (2005); Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 84: 527-530 (2014); Research in Biotechnology, 7: 50-57 (2016)].

· Whole genome sequencing, assembly and analysis of coconut using a hybrid platform[OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology (2020); doi: 10.1089/omi.2020.0147]

· Development of microsatellite panel for hybrid purity assessment in coconut [Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding, 72(4): 472-474 (2012)].

· Identification of molecular markers linked to tall/dwarf trait in coconut [ScientiaHorticulturae, 150(4): 312-316(2013)] and arecanut [Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding, 76(1):119-122 (2016)].

· Identification of miRNAs and studies on the expression pattern of miRNAs and associated target genes during coconut somatic embryogenesis [Planta, 251: 79 (2020); Agri Gene, 7: 59-65 (2018)]

· Identification of genes expressed during somatic embryogenesis in coconut using transcriptome analyses [RNA-seq) and their validation using qRT-PCR [Protoplasma, 253(3): 913-928 (2016)].

· Characterization of the global transcriptome responsive to root (wilt) disease in coconut using RNA-seq [European Journal of Plant Pathology, 151(1): 173-193 (2018)].

· Identification of suitable reference genes for quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) experiments in coconut [Plant Gene, 19: 100184 (2019)]

· Facile coconut inflorescence sap mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its diverse antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties [Materials Science and Engineering: C, 111: 110834 (2020)]

· Identification of miRNA in phytopathogens, viz., Ganodermalucidiumand Phytophthora spp.[Research Journal of Biotechnology, 11: 34-42 (2016); Research Journal of Biotechnology, 11(2): 59-62 (2016)] .

Details of Recognition/ Award	Year	Awarding organization
NAIP COMPETITIVE GRANT	2011	ICAR
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SUPPORT (ITS) GRANT	2013	Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST)
RAPID GRANT SCHEME FOR YOUNG INVESTIGATORS (RGYI)	2010	Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
NATP COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMME (NATP-CGP)	2000	ICAR
YOUNG INVESTIGATOR PROGRAMME IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (YIPB)	2015	Kerala State Council for Science, technology and Engineering (KSCSTE)
Dr. R.L. NARASIMHA SWAMY MEMORIAL AWARD	2008	Indian Society for Plantation Crops (ISPC)
YOUNG SCIENTIST AWARD	2012	Swadeshi Science Congress
INNOVATION FEST AWARD	2019	Central University of Kerala
AWARD OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE	2015	Central University of Hyderabad
BEST SCIENTIFIC TEAM AWARD	2003-2004	ICAR-CPCRI
Dr. C.S. VENKATARAM MEMORIAL AWARD	2019	Indian Society for Plantation Crops (ISPC)
ASSOCIATESHIP OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY	2018-2019	The Linnean Society of London, UK

Total Publications

Selected Publications

Sl.No	Publications	Journal Name, Volume and Page No.
1	Rajesh, M.K., Muralikrishna, K.S., Nair, S.S., Kumar, B.K., Subrahmanya, T.M., Sonu, K.P., Subaharan, K., Sweta, H., Prasad, T.K., Chandran, N. and Karunasagar, I.(2020) Facile coconut inflorescence sap mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its diverse antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties.	Materials Science and Engineering: C 11083
2	Rajesh, M.K.,Chowdappa, P., Behera, S.K., Sandeep, K., Gangaraj1, K.P., Chinmaya, N.K., Bhagya, N., Varshasnata, M., Rohith, B.S., Gaurab, B., Anupam, J. D., Niral, V., Karun1, A., Mahato, A.K., Gaikwad, K., Singh, N.K. and Keshava Prasad, T.S. (2020) Assembly and annotation of the nuclear and organellar genomes of a dwarf coconut (Chowghat Green Dwarf) possessing enhanced disease resistance.	Omics - A Journal of Integrative Biology, 20
3	Rajesh M.K., Fayas T.P., Naganeeswaran S., Rachana K.E., Bhavyashree U., Sajini K.K. and Karun A. (2016) De novo assembly and characterization of global transcriptome of coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) embryogenic calli using Illumina paired-end sequencing.	Protoplasma, 253 (3): 913-928.
4	Rajesh M.K., Radha, E., Anitha Karun and Parthasarathy, V.A. (2003) Plant regeneration from embryo-derived callus of oil palm- the effect of exogenous polyamines.	Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture, 75: 41-47.
5	Rajesh M.K.,Arunachalam, V., Nagarajan, P., Lebrun, P., Samsudeen, K., Thamban, C. (2008) Genetic survey of ten Indian coconut landraces by simple sequence repeats (SSRs).	ScientiaHorticulturae, 118: 282-297.
6	Rajesh M.K., Jerard, B.A., Preethi, P., Regi Jacob Thomas, Fayas, T.P., Rachana, K.E. andAnitha Karun (2013) Development of a RAPD-derived SCAR marker associated with tall-type palm trait in coconut.	ScientiaHorticulturae, 150(4): 312-316.
7	Rajesh M.K., Rachana K.E., Kulkarni K., Sahu B.B., Thomas R.J. and Karun A. (2018) Comparative transcriptome profiling of healthy and diseased Chowghat Green Dwarf coconut palms from root (wilt) disease hot spots.	European Journal of Plant Pathology, 151(1): 173-193.
8	Rajesh M.K., Sabana A.A., Rachana K.E., ShafeeqRahman, Jerard B.A. and Anitha Karun (2015) Genetic relationship and diversity among coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) accessions revealed through SCoT analysis.	3 Biotech, 5(6): 999-1006.
9	Rajesh M.K., Rachana, K.E., Naganeeswaran, S., Shafeeq, R., Thomas, R. J., Shareefa, M., Merin, B. and Anitha Karun (2015) Identification of expressed resistance gene analog sequences in coconut leaf transcriptome and their evolutionary analysis.	Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 39: 489-502.
10	Rajesh M.K., Nagarajan, P., Jerard, B. A., Arunachalam, V. and Dhanapal, R. (2008) Microsatellite variability of coconut accessions (Cocos nucifera L.) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.	Current Science, 94:1627-1631.
11	.Rajesh M.K., Jerard, B. A., Preethi, P., Regi Jacob Thomas and Anitha Karun (2014) Application of RAPD markers in hybrid verification in coconut.	Crop Breeding and Applied Biotechnology, 14: 36-41.
12	Rajesh M.K., Samusdeen, K., Jerard, B.A., Rejusha, P and Anitha Karun (2014) Genetic and phylogenetic relationships of coconut populations from Amini and Kadmat Islands, Lakshadweep (India).	Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture, 26 (10): 898-906.
13	Rajesh M.K., Gangaraj K.P., Jamshinath T.P., Fayas T.P., Naganeeswaran S., Sajini K.K. and Anitha Karun. 2016. Virtual screening and in vitro evaluation of potential growth regulators against somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinase (SERK) in Cocos nucifera L.	Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 52(5&6): 328-340
14	Rajesh M.K., Radha, E., Sajini K. K. andAnitha Karun (2014) Polyamine-induced somatic embryogenesis and plantlet regeneration in vitro from plumular explants of dwarf cultivars of coconut.	Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 84 (4): 527-530.
15	Rajesh M.K., Rijith, J., Shafeeq, R., Preethi, P., Rachana, K. E., Sajini, K. K. and Anitha Karun (2014) Estimation of out-crossing rates in populations of West Coast Tall cultivar of coconut using microsatellite markers.	Journal of Plantation Crops, 42 (3):277-288.
16	Rajesh M.K., Bharathi, M. and Nagarajan, P. (2006) Isolation and characterization of WRKY genes in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.).	Journal of Plantation Crops, 34: 519-528.
17	Rajesh M.K., Radha, E., Sajini, K. K., Anitha Karun and Parthasarathy, V.A. (2005) Plant regeneration through organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis from plumular explants of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.).	Journal of Plantation Crops, 33:9-17.
18	Sabana, A.A., Rajesh, M.K.and Ginny Antony (2020) Dynamic changes in the expression pattern of miRNAs and associated target genes during coconut somatic embryogenesis.	Planta, 251: 79;
19	Ramesh, S.V., Govindasamy, V., Rajesh, M.K., Sabana, A. A. and Praveen, S. (2019) Stress-responsive miRNAome: Molecular insights and way forward.	Planta, 249(5): 1267-1284.
20	Jerard B.A., Rajesh M.K., Elain S.A., Sajini K.K., ShafeeqRahman, Fayas T.P. and Anitha Karun (2014) Scope of novel and rare bulbiferous coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.).	Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 61: 1-6.
21	Prathibha, V.H., Vinayaka Hedge, Sharadraj, K.M., Rajesh, M.K.,Rachana, K.E. and Chowdappa, P. (2018) Differentiation of Phytophthora species associated with plantation crops using PCR and high-resolution melting curve analysis.	Journal of Plant Pathology, 100(2): 233-240.
22	Shareefa, M., Regi J. Thomas, J.S. Sreelekshmi, Rajesh, M.K. and Karun, A. (2019) In vitro regeneration of coconut plantlets from immature inflorescence.	Current Science, 117 (5): 813-820
23	Samsudeen K., Rajesh M.K., Sreejisha P., Nirmala A., Ranjith L.M.R. and Deepa K. 2017. Coconut artificial pollination management system.	Current Science, 112(7): 1325-1326.
24	Jiji, G., Karun, A., Manimekalai, R., Rajesh M.K. and Remya, P. (2007) Identification of RAPD markers linked to sex determination in palmyrah (Borassusflabellifer L.).	Current Science, 93(8): 1075-1077.
25	Shareefa, M., Regi J. Thomas, Sreelekshmi, J.S., Rajesh M.K. and Anitha karun (2019)In vitro regeneration of coconut plantlets from immature inflorescence	Current Science, 117(5): 813-820.
26	Anitha Karun, Sajini, K.K., Niral, V., Amarnath, C. H., Remya, P., Rajesh, M.K., Samsudeen, K., Jerard, B. A. and Florent Engelmann (2014) Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) pollen cryopreservation.	CryoLetters, 35 (5): 407-417.
27	Anitha Karun, Sajini, K.K., Muralikrishna K.S., Rajesh, M.K., and Florent Engelmann (2017) Cryopreservation of arecanut (Areca catechu L.) pollen	CryoLetters, 38 (6): 463-470.
28	Riju A., Rajesh M.K., Sherin P. T. P. F., Chandrasekar A., Apshara S. E. and Arunachalam V. (2009) Mining of expressed sequence tag libraries of cacao for microsatellite markers using five computational tools.	Journal of Genetics, 88: 217–225.
29	Rachana, K.E., Naganeeswaran S., Fayas T.P., Thomas, R. J. and Rajesh, M.K. (2016) Cloning, characterization and expression analysis of NBS-LRR-type resistance gene analogues (RGAs) in coconut.	ActaBotanicaCroatica, 75(1): 1-10.
30	Samsudeen, K., Rajesh, M. K.,Nagwaker, D. D., RaghavanReshmi, Ajith Kumar, P., Devadas, K. and Anitha Karun (2013) Diversity in MohachaoNarel, a sweet endosperm coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) population from Maharashtra, India.	National Academy of Science Letters (Springer), 36 (3): 319-330.
31	Thomas, R.J.,Rajesh, M.K., Kalavathi, S., Krishnakumar, V., George, D. J., Jose, M. and Nair, R. V. (2013) Analysis of genetic diversity in coconut and its conservation in root (wilt) disease affected areas of Kerala: A community participatory approach.	Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding, 73 (3): 295-301.
32	Sairam, G. L., Rajesh, M. K.,Nithya S. and George V. Thomas (2013) An SVM-based algorithm for the prediction and classification of enzymes involved in antibiotic biosynthetic pathways in plant growth promoting Pseudomonas species.	Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 83 (10): 1075-1078.
33	Merin, K. Eldo, Rajesh, M. K., Jamshinath, T. P., Hemalatha, N., MuraliGopal, George V. Thomas (2014) Development of a tool for computational prediction of σ70 promoters in Pseudomonas spp. using SVM and HMM approaches.	Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 84 (1): 119-123
34	Rahul C.U. and Rajesh M.K. (2016) Probing the mitochondrial genomes of Phytophthora spp. for the presence of mature miRNAs.	Research Journal of Biotechnology, 11(2): 59-62.

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Dr. Rajesh M. K

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