Potato – Science and Technology in Sub–Tropics

Anand Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Horticultural Science), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and Former Managing Director, National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India is an internationally reputed scientist. He did pioneering research on tissue culture of horticultural crops and mango breeding at TERI, New Delhi; IIVR, Varanasi and IARI, New Delhi. He received several national and international awards such as Mombusho Award, Japan; Visiting Scientist, Saga University Japan; DBT Associateship; Gold Medal, HSI & Delhi Agri-Horti. Society; and International Registrar-Mangifera, Commission for Nomenclature & Cultivar Registration, ISHS, UK. He is the Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Horticulture Society of India, Hill Horticulture Development Society, National Academy of Biological Sciences, and International Society of Noni Sciences.

Swarup Kumar Chakrabarti, Director, ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla and Former Director, ICAR-CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram has specialization in the area of genomics, molecular biology, and disease diagnostics. He made significant contribution in the area of potato structural and functional genomics, linkage mapping, marker assisted selection; development of transgenics; and plant disease diagnosis. He is the recipient of Shri L.C. Sikka Endowment Award of NAAS, Dr. S. Ramanujam Award of ICAR-CPRI, IPA-Kaushalaya Sikka Memorial Award, Biotechnology Overseas Associateship DBT, Dr. J.P. Verma Memorial Award, Indian Phytopathological Society and many others. He is the Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi; Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi; Indian Potato Association, Shimla; and Confederation of Horticultural Associations of India, New Delhi.

Brajesh Singh, Principal Scientist & Head, Division of CPB&PHT, ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute has specialized in the area of Plant Physiology. He has made significant contribution in the area of development and refinement of potato storage technologies at farm and cold store level; processing technologies for the entrepreneurs; establishing the quality and nutritional laboratory; and development of protocols for nutritional profiling of potatoes. He is recipient of Associateship of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences and HSI-Dr. JC Anand Gold Medal for his work on Post-Harvest Technology. He is the Fellow of Indian Society for Plant Physiology, New Delhi; The Indian Academy of Horticultural Sciences, New Delhi; and Indian Potato Association, Shimla.

Jagdev Sharma, Principal Scientist, ICAR- Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla has specialisation in soil fertility and plant nutrition. He has more than 22 years of research experience and has made significant contributions in grapevine and potato crop nutrition, pressurised irrigation and diagnosis of nutritional disorders. He is a recipient of 'University Gold Medal and 'Himotkarsh Gold Medal for his academic excellence. He has been awarded 'Gaurav Chinh of Maharashtra Grape Growers Association, Abhinav Gaurav and Gold Medal and Shri A. Dabholkar Utkrisht Shashtrgya award for contributions in Indian viticulture. He has received scholarship from MASHAV (Israel) and has five years editorial experience for Potato Journal of Indian Potato Association.

Vijay Kumar Dua, Principal Scientist and Head, ICAR- Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla has specialisation in climate change studies, crop modelling, potato agronomy, remote sensing and GIS techniques. He has more than 27 years of research experience and has made significant contributions in climate change impact and adaptations studies, resource management in potato based cropping systems and development of severalDecision Support Systems. He is recipient of the IPA-Kaushalya Sikka Memorial Award for his work on decision support tools. He is the Fallow of the Indian Society of Agronomy, New Delhi and India Potato Association, Shimla.