Tenure as Officiating Director: 05.09.2015 to 09.02.2016

Dr. M Anandaraj served as Officiating Director of ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru, steering the institute through a transition period. He is a distinguished scientist with primary expertise in epidemiology and disease management of soil-borne diseases, having contributed significantly to spice crops and plantation crop research at ICAR-IIHR.

Qualifications

• M.Sc. (Plant Pathology)
• Ph.D. (Plant Pathology)

Research Contributions

Dr. Anandaraj authored 227 publications including research papers, books, book chapters, and manuals. His primary research focused on the epidemiology and biological control of Phytophthora diseases in black pepper and other spice crops, development of biocontrol agents, and integrated disease management strategies. He developed technologies for managing soil-borne diseases in cardamom, ginger, and plantation crops that have been widely adopted by farmers across South India.

Key Achievements

• 227 publications including journal papers, books, book chapters, and manuals
• Developed biocontrol strategies for Phytophthora diseases in black pepper
• Pioneered integrated disease management for cardamom and ginger
• Guided research programmes in spice and plantation crop pathology
• Successfully led IIHR through an important institutional transition period

Awards & Recognition

• Fellow, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)
• Several best paper awards from national plant pathology societies
• Recognised for outstanding contributions to spice crop disease management