23-04-2024

भाकृअनुप - भारतीय मक्का अनुसंधान संस्थान

ICAR - Indian Institute of Maize Research

(ISO 9001:2015 certified)

Nurturing Diversity, Resilience, Livelihood & Industrial Inputs

Dr. J. C. Sekhar

Designation: Principal Scientist, Ag. Entomology and In-Charge Winter Nursery Centre, Hyderabad

Qualification: M.Sc. (Ag.) in Agricultural Entomology from S.V.Agrl. College, Tirupati, Andhra P{radish Agricultural University, Ph.D. in Entomology from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi

Address: Winter Nursery centre, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad -500 030 (INDIA)

Email: jc.sekhar@icar.gov.in, jcswnc@rediffmail.com, javajics@gmail.com

Mobile: +91 9908600340

Phone: +91 040 29701340 (O)

Fax: +91 040 24018457

Work experience

  • Principal Scientist & Incharge, WNC, Indian Institute of Maize Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030 (India) from August 08, 2008 – to date
  • Senior Scientist & Incharge from August 8, 2000 to August 7, 2008, WNC, Directorate of Maize Research, Hyderabad (India)
  • Scientist Scale (Entomology) August 8, 1996 to August 7, 2000, WNC, Directorate of Maize Research, Hyderabad (India)
  • Scientist(Entomology) November 24, 1995 to August 7, 1996 WNC, Directorate of Maize Research, Hyderabad (India)
  • Scientist(Entomology) July 24, 1992 to November 23, 1995, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
  • Scientist (Trainee) from January 16, 1992 to July 23, 1992, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research , Bangalore
  • Scientist from August 08, 1991 to 15 January 01, 1992: National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (India)

Area of interest

  • Development of resistance lines to Stem borers and Fall army worm
  • Development of sustainable management tools of the maize pests

Most significant achievements (in last five years)

  • Associated in the development and release of following maize hybrids, viz., Normal Single Cross Hybrids (08): DHM 119, 121; DMRH 1301, 1308, 1305,
  • Pop Corn(2): BPCH- 6, DMRHP 1402
  • Baby Corn(2): IMHM 1532, 1539
  • Associated in the developene tof maize lines for different traits and registration of the lines DMRQPM 58 (14012), DMRQPM-03-124 (INGR14013), DMR E 63 (INGR 14014), DQL-1019(17023) and IML-PFSR-R3(INGR 17024)
  • Strengthened Winter Nursery Centre ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research at Rajendranagar, Hyderabad
  • Strengthening of the maize germplasm base of the AICRP and co-operating centres
  • Organized maize germplasm field days since 1996.
  • Initiated Screening of AICRP entries for Shoot fly and Fall armyworm from Kharif, Rabi and Spring 2019.

Publications in last five years

Research papers 

  1. Soujanya LP*, Sekhar JC, Chikkappa GK, Suby SB, Sunil N, Yathish KR, Reddy MLK, Jindal J and Rakshit S. 2019. Field screening of maize inbred lines for resistance to stem borers Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) and Sesamia inferens Walker. Maize J. 8(1): 8-14.2. Bhupender Kumar*, Sekhar JC, Singh SB, Yadav OP, Kaul J, Hooda K.S, Late R Sai Kumar, Kamboj MC, Sain Dass, Vishal Singh, Mahajan V, Kumar R., Narsihma Reddy, V, Abhijit Das, Yatish KR, Mukri G, Chaudhary DP, Parihar CM, Jat SL,Singh AK, Vinod Kumar, Harpreet Kaur and Chhavi Nath. 2019. Newly released high yielding single cross maize hybrids for different ecologies of India. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 89 (2): 371–5.3. Soujanya LP*, Sekhar JC, Suby SB, Rakshit S, Susmitha GS and Mallavadhani UV. 2018. Biopesticide treated double layered bags: novel method of application of botanicals for Sitophilus oryzae L. management in stored maize. Maydica 63-M3: 1-6.4. Sunil N, Rekha, B, Yathish KR, Sekhar JC, Ramesh P and Vadez V. 2018. Leafyscan-an efficient phenotyping platform for identification of pre-breeding genetic stocks in maize. Maize Journal, 7 (1):16.22.5. Lavakumar Reddy M, Lakshmi Soujanya, P, Sekhar JC, Sreelatha D. and Narsimha Reddy V. .2018. Efficacy of new insecticide molecules against spotted stem borer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) in maize. International Journal of Plant Protection,11(1):70-72.6. Ganapati Mukri, Ramesh Kumar, Ambika Rajendran, Bhupender Kumar, Hooda, KS, Chikkappa GK, Vishal Singh, Jat, SL, Abhijit Kumar Das, Sekhar JC and Singh SB 2018. Strategic selection of white maize inbred lines for tropical adaptation and their utilization in developing stable, medium to long duration maize hybrids. Maydica, 63.2:8.7. Soujanya PL, Sekhar JC, Suby SB, Rakshit S, Susmitha GS and Mallavadhani, UV. 2018. Biopesticide treated double layered bags: Novel method of application of botanicals for Sitophilus oryzae L. management in stored maize registered lines. Maydica, 63.1:M3.8. Suby SB, Pradyumn Kumar, Sharma RK, Aditi Kundu, Sekhar JC, Lakshmi Soujanya P.2018. Sampling and Analysis of Spotted Stem Borer Induced Plant Volatiles in Zea mays L. Pesticide Research Journal, 30(1):59-65.9. Kumar P, Singh R, Suby SB, Kaur J, Sekhar JC, Lakshmi Soujanya P (2018) An overview of crop loss assessment in maize. Maize Journal, 7(2): 56-63.10. Hossain, Vignesh Muthusamy, Rajkumar U. Zunjare, Javaji C Sekhar and Hari S Gupta. 2017. Analyzing the role of sowing and harvest time as factors for selecting super sweet (-sh2sh2) corn hybrids. Indian J. Genet, 77(3): 348-356.11. Gopala, Robin Gogoi, Firoz Hossain, Hooda KS, and Sekhar, JC. (2017) Molecular Characterization of Maize Inbred Lines against Stalk Rot Complex of Maize (Zea maysL..)Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci,6(7):230-237.12. Brijesh K. Mehta, Firoz Hossain, Vignesh Muthusamy, Rajkumar U Zunjare, Sekhar JC and Gupta HS. 2017. Analyzing the role of sowing and harvest time as factors for selecting super sweet (-sh2sh2) corn hybrids. Indian J. Genet., 77(3): 348-356 (2017) DOI: 10.5958/0975-6906.2017.00047.5.13. Brijesh K. Mehta, Firoz Hossain, Vignesh Muthusamy, Rajkumar U. Zunjare, i Sekhar JC and Gupta,HS .2017.Analysis of responses of novel double mutant (sh2sh2/su1su1) sweet corn hybrids for kernel sweetness under different sowing- and harvest-time.Indian J.agric.Sci.87(11):1543-48.

    14. Soujanya PL, Sekhar JC, Chikkappa GK, Vidyadhari V, Suby SB,Sunil N , Sreelatha D and Chaudhary DP. 2017. Impact of harvesting time on field carry over infestation of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in different maize genotypes. Phytoparasitica, 45(4):1-15.

    15. Sekhar JC, Lakshmi Soujanya P, Chikkappa GK, Pradyumn Kumar. 2016. Differential response of maize genotypes to stem borers under artificial infestation. Maize Journal, 5(1&2):49-54.

    16. Bhupender Kumar , Satish Kumar Guleria , Subhash M. Khanorkar , Rajender Babu Dubey , Jashvantlal Patel , Vinod Kumar, Chiter Mal Parihar, Shankar Lal Jat, Vishal Singh, K. R. YatishF , Abhijit Das , Javaji Chandra Sekhar, Pradeep Bhati, Harpreet Kaur , Madhvi Kumar, Aditya Kumar Singh, Eldho Varghese and Om Prakash Yadav. 2016. Selection indices to identify maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids adapted under drought stress and normal ecologies in tropical climate. Crop and Pasture Science, 67(10):1087-1095.

    17. Kumar Bhupender, Karambir Singh Hooda, Om Prakash Yadav, Robin Gogoi, Vinod Kumar, Shrvan Kumar, Alok Abhishek, Javaji Chander Sekhar, Yathish Kr,Vishal Singh, Abhijit Das, Ganapati Mukri, Eldho Varghese, Harleen Kaur, and Vinod Malik. 2016. Inheritance study and stable sources of maydis leaf blight (Cochliobolus heterostrophus) resistance in tropical maize germplasm. Cereal Research Communications, 44(3):424-434.

    18. Bhupender Kumar, Karambir S Hooda, Vishal Singh, Javaji C Sekhar, Vinod Kumar, Chiter M Parihar, Shankar L Ja,t Aditya K Singh, Jyoti Kaul, Harleen Kaur, Harpreet Kaur, Om P Yadav. 2016. Multi-environment field testing to identify stable sources of resistance to charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) disease in tropical maize germplasm. Maydica, 62.1 : M 3.

    19. Lakshmi Soujanya, P, Sekhar JC, Chikkappa G Karjagi, Dharam Paul, P Kumar. 2016. Evaluation of biophysical, anatomical, and biochemical traits of resistance to Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in stored maize. Maydica, 61.1 – M 8.

    20. Sekhar JC, Soujanya P L, Chikkappa GK, Kumar P, Sunil N and , Singh K.P. 2016. Resistance to the spotted stem borer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) and pink stem borer Sesamia inferens walker in maize. Indian J. Ent, 78(4):346-352.

    21. Sekhar, JC, Lakshmi Soujanya P., Chikkappa GK, Sunil N, Kaul J, Singh, KP and Kumar, P. 2016. Response of different maize accessions to pink stem borer Sesamia inferens Walker (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae). Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding,7 (1):132-136.

    22. Lakshmi Soujanya, P, Sekhar J C, Kumar P, Sunil N, Vara Prasad Ch and Mallavadhani, UV. .2016. Potentiality of botanical agents for the management of post harvest insects of maize: a review. J Food Sci Technol,

    23. Rajkumar Zunjare, Firoz Hossain, Vignesh Muthusamy, Sunil K. Jha, Pradyumn Kumar, Sekhar, J Lakshmi Soujanya, P., Sekhar, J.C., Chikkapppa, G.K., Kumar, P. 2015. Management of post harvest pests of maize in India through enhanced hermetic storage. International Journal of Processing and Post Harvest Technology. 6 (1): 48-53.

    24. Lakshmi Soujanya P, Sekhar JC, Chikkapppa GK. and Kumar P. 2015. Differential resistance of maize germplasm to riceweevil, Sitophilus oryzae and angouis grain moth, Sitotroga crealella in stored maize. Indian J. Plant .Protec, 43 (2):143-149.

    25. Lakshmi Soujanya P, Sekhar JC, Kumar P, Dhanalaxmi V, Sravanthi P and Malladhavani UV. .2015. Potentiality of various extracts of Ixora coccinea and its major component tenacetene from rubiaceae family against stored maize. Journal of Insect Science, 28(2)252-258.

    26. Sekhar JC, Karjagi CG*, Kumar B, Rakshit S, Soujanya L, Kumar P, Singh KP, Dhandapani A, Dass A and Sai Kumar R. 2015. Genetics of resistance to Sesamia inferens infestation and its correlation to yield in maize. Plant Breeding, 134: 394-399.

    27. Zunjare R., Hossain F, Muthusamy V., Vishwakarma AK, Pandey N, Kumar P, Sekhar JC, Jha SK, Thirunavukkarasu N. and Gupta HS.(2015) Analyses of genetic diversity among exotic- and indigenous- maize inbreds differing for responses to stored grain weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.) infestation. Maydica,60.3:M28.

    28. Zunjare R, Hossain F, Muthusamy V, Vishwakarma AK, Pandey N, Kumar P, Sekhar JC, Jha SK, Thirunavukkarasu N. and Gupta HS. 2015. Analyses of genetic diversity among exotic- and indigenous- maize inbreds differing for responses to stored grain weevil (Sitophilus oryzae L.) infestation. Maydica, 60.3:M28.

    29. Chikkappa GKi, Sekhar JC, Lakshmi Soujanya P and Pradyumn Kumar. 2015. Generation mean analysis of preferential oviposition behaviour of pink stem borer (Sesamia inferens) in maize germplasm. Maize Journal, 4(1&2): 1-3

Review/Popular articles.

  1. Soujanya PL, Sekhar JC, Suby SB and Rakshit S. 2018. Ecofriendly approaches for management of insect pests of maize in small scale storage. Indian Farmer, 5(10): 1338-1346.
  2. Suby SB, Soujanya PL, Jaglan M, Jindal J, Reddy MLK, Mahadik s, Naik P, Kesavan R, Rakshit S and Sekhar JC 2019 Fall armyworm ki khet mein pehchan aur kisano keliye tatkal prabandhan ki uchit vidhi. Krishi chetna, 2: 42-46.

 Book chapters

  1. Kumar P, Kaur J, Suby SB, Sekhar JC, Soujanya PL (2018) Pests of Maize. Pp 5-33.In:Agricultural Entomology. (Eds.) Omkar,Springer Nature (Singapore). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8687-8_3.

Technical Bulletins

  1. Rakshit S., Ballal CR, Prasad YG, Sekhar JC, Soujanya PL, Suby SB, Jat SL, Sivakumar G. and Prasad JV. 2019. Fight against Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith). ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana, pp. 52.

SAWBO animated video on FAW Identification, Scouting and Management: Coordinated in translation process with the University of Michigan and SAWBO, to translate SAWBO animated video on FAW Identification, Scouting and Management into different Indian languages (Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Odiya, Bengali, Manipuri, Mizo)

Significant recognition

  • Fellow, Entomological Society of India, 2008
  • Fellow, maize Technologists Association of India, 2019
  • Meritorious Scientist award 2012
  • Dr. Joginder Singh Outstanding Research award by MTAI 2019