03-10-2024

भाकृअनुप - भारतीय मक्का अनुसंधान संस्थान

ICAR - Indian Institute of Maize Research

(ISO 9001:2015 certified)

Nurturing Diversity, Resilience, Livelihood & Industrial Inputs

Dr. Abhijit Kumar Das

Designation: Senior Scientist (Plant Breeding)

Qualification: M.Sc. (Ag.) in Genetics & Plant Breeding from G.B.P.U.A. & T, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, Ph.D. in Genetics from Indian Agricultural Research Institute

Address: Scientist, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research PAU Campus Ludhiana 141 004 (INDIA)

Email: ak.das@icar.gov.in, das.myself@gmail.com

Mobile: +91 9968384019



Work experience

  • Scientist (Genetics) from December 15, 2011 – to date, Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana
  • Scientist (Genetics) from September 15 – December 14, 2011, National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad

Area of interest

Currently involved in the project “Genetic Enhancement of White Maize for food purpose” as a PI, with the objectives to identify heterotic pattern of white maize germplasm, development of outstanding hybrids and assessment the chapatti making quality of white maize. As Co-PI also involved in strengthening and diversification of sweet corn germplasm and enhancement of QPM Germplasm. Analysis of starch diversity and digestibility in maize is also another important research area of interest.

 Most significant achievements (in last five years)

  • Developed and released following maize hybrids, viz., DMRH 1301 (Medium Maturity Normal Field Corn), DMRH 1308 (Late Maturity Normal Field Corn) DMRHP 1402 (Early Maturity Pop Corn) and DMRH1305 Early Maturity Field Corn).
  • Registered two maize genotype (DQL 2105-1 and DQL 2048) for Quality protein maize (QPM) resistant to Maydis Leaf Blight (MLB) under PPV&FRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority)

 Publications in last five years

 Research papers

Author(s) Title Name of Journal Year
Das A K, Muthusamy V, Zunjare R U, Baveja A, Chauhan H S, Bhat J S, Guleria S K, Kumar B, Saha S, Hossain F Genetic variability for kernel tocopherols and haplotype analysis of γ-tocopherol methyl transferase (vte4) gene among exotic-and indigenous-maize inbreds Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 2020
Das AK, Chhabra R, Muthusamy V, Chauhan HS, Zunjare RU, Hossain F. Identification of SNP and InDel variations in the promoter and 5′ untranslated regions of γ-tocopherol methyl transferase (ZmVTE4) affecting higher accumulation of α-tocopherol in maize kernel. The Crop Journal

 

2019
Das AK, Muthusamy V, Zunjare RU, Chauhan HS, Sharma PK, Bhat JS, Guleria SK, Saha S, Hossain F. Genetic variability-, genotype × environment interactions-and combining ability-analyses of kernel tocopherols among maize genotypes possessing novel allele of γ-tocopherol methyl transferase (ZmVTE4). Journal of Cereal Science 2019
Das AK, Jaiswal SK, Muthusamy V, Zunjare RU, Chauhan HS, Chand G, Saha S, Hossain F. Molecular diversity and genetic variability of kernel tocopherols among maize inbreds possessing favourable haplotypes of γ-tocopherol methyl transferase (ZmVTE4). Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology

 

2018
Anil Kumar Cholla, Pradyumn Kumar, Subhash Chander, Abhijit Kumar Das, Suby SB, Sunil Chandra Dubey and JC Sekhar. Identification of key damage parameters and plant morphological traits associated with Chilo partellus resistance in maize (Zea mays L.). Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies. 2019
Mukri G, Kumar R, Rajendran A, Kumar B, Hooda KS, Karjagi CG, Singh V, Jat SL, Das AK, Sekhar JC, Singh SB. Strategic selection of white maize inbred lines for tropical adaptation and their utilization in developing stable, medium to long duration maize hybrids.. Maydica

 

2018
Kumar B, Guleria SK, Khanorkar SM, Dubey RB, Patel J, Kumar V, Parihar CM, Jat SL, Singh V, Yatish KR, Das AK. Selection indices to identify maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids adapted under drought-stress and drought-free conditions in a tropical climate. Crop and Pasture Science

 

2016
Kumar B, Hooda KS, Gogoi R, Kumar V, Kumar S, Abhishek A, Bhati P, Sekhar JC, Yathish KR, Singh V, Das AK Inheritance study and stable sources of maydis leaf blight (Cochliobolus heterostrophus) resistance in tropical maize germplasm. Cereal Research Communications 2016
Sarkar M, Singh DK, Lohani M, Das AK, Ojha S. Exploitation of heterosis and combining ability for earliness and vegetative traits in ridge gourd [luffa acutangula (roxb.) L.]. International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology  2015
Ramesh Kumar, G. K. Chikkappa, S. B. Singh, Ganapati Mukri, J. Kaul, A. K. Das, D. Sravani, D. S. Olak and D. Bhatia Multivariate Analysis for Yield and Its Component Traits in Experimental Maize Hybrids. Journal of Agricultural Science 2017

Books chapter/Reports/Chapters/General articles etc

Title Author’s Name Publisher Year
Maize. In Singh, Mohar, Bisht, Ishwari Singh, Dutta and Manoranjan (Eds.), Broadening the Genetic Base of Grain Cereals. Firoz Hossain , Vignesh Muthusamy , Jayant S. Bhat , Shailendra K. Jha , Rajkumar Zunjare , Abhijit Das , Konsam Sarika , and Rajesh Kumar. 2017. DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-3613-9 Springer 2017

 Training manual

Title Author’s Name Publisher Year
Principles and practices of seed production in maize. In seed production and quality evaluation Firoz Hossain, Vignesh M., Rajkumar U. Zunjare, Abhijit K. Das, Konsam Sarika, Brijesh Mehta, Sudipta Basu1 and Jayant S. Bhat Division of Seed Science and Technology,

ICAR-IARI

Pusa Campus, New Delhi, India.

2018
Genomics-assisted selection in maize: Specialty traits. In Genomics-Assisted Breeding for Crop Improvement Firoz Hossain, Vignesh Muthusamy, Rajkumar U. Zunjare, Brijesh K. Mehta, Aanchal Baveja, Hema S. Chauhan, Rashmi Chhabra, Abhijit K. Das, Konsam Sarika and Jayant S. Bhat Division of Genetics, ICAR-IARI, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012, India. 2018
Quality enhancement in sweet corn through marker-assisted selection. In Molecular breeding for higher productivity, quality, food colorants, nutraceuticals and bioactive health compounds in vegetable crops Firoz Hossain, Vignesh Muthusamy, Rajkumar, U. Zunjare, Brijesh K. Mehta, Rashmi Chhabra, Hema S. Chauhan, Aanchal Baveja, Abhijit K. Das, Konsam Sarika and Jayant S. Bhat Division of Vegetable Science

Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi – 110012, India

2018
Genetic Enhancement of Nutritional Quality in Maize using Marker Assisted Selection. In Application of Marker Assisted Selection and Transgenic Development for Crop Improvement Firoz Hossain, Vignesh Muthusamy, Jayant S. Bhat, Abhijit Das, Konsam Sarika, Rajkumar Zunjare, Ashish K. Vishwakarma, Neha Pandey, Aanchal Baveja, Rajat Goswami and Hema Singh Chauhan ICAR-National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology,

Pusa Campus, New Delhi

2016

 Significant recognition

  • IARI Merit Medal, 2020
  • Best Scientist recognition of Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana for the year 2020
  • Best Poster Award in National Symposium on Genomics-based Next Generation Crop Improvement Approaches held at IARI, New Delhi in the year 2016

Research grant received

  • Received Core Research Grant (CRG) funding from Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) worth value of 39.63 lakh during the year 2020 as PI.
  • Received research grant viz., Young Scientists and Technologists (SYST) from Department of Science and Technology (DST) worth value of 29.30 lakh during the year 2018 as Co-PI.