Tenure as Director: 08.12.1999 to 30.04.2002

Dr. P Parvatha Reddy was born on 6 April 1942 in Asundi, District Bellary, Karnataka. An internationally recognised authority on plant nematology and biological control, he served as Director of ICAR-IIHR from December 1999 to April 2002.

Qualifications

• B.Sc. Agriculture — Karnataka University (1964)
• M.Sc. (Plant Pathology / Nematology) — Karnataka University (1966)
• Ph.D. — Joint degree, University of Florida, USA and University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (1974) — supported by Ford Foundation

Career History

• Junior Pathologist, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (1967–1975)
• Scientist, IIHR, Bangalore
• Head, Division of Entomology and Nematology, IIHR (April 1982 – September 1985)
• Principal Scientist, Division of Crop Protection, IIHR
• Director, IIHR, Bangalore (December 1999 – April 2002)

Research Contributions

Dr. Parvatha Reddy is a globally recognised nematologist whose research focused on nematode associations with crop plants, host-parasite interactions, chemical and biological control of nematodes, host resistance mechanisms, and economic nematology. His landmark work on amino acid mechanisms against root-knot nematodes in tomato advanced the understanding of host resistance. He authored a definitive book on Plant Nematology widely used across South Asian universities and research institutions.

Publications & Recognition

• Approximately 75 research papers in national and international journals
• Authored authoritative book on Plant Nematology
• Fellow, Phytopathological Society of India
• Life Member, Nematological Society of India