Indian Institute of Pulses Research

Profile of Dr. Sudheer Kumar

Personal Information

Name	:	Dr. Sudheer Kumar
Designation	:	Principal Scientist & Head
Email	:	Sudheer.kumar@icar.org.in , Sudheer.icar@gmail.com
Telephone (Office)	:
Mobile No.	:	8168062199
Date of joining ICAR	:	11.4.2007
Discipline and specialization	:	Plant Pathology – Integrated disease management, Biological control, resistance breeding, host parasite interaction.
Training/advance exposure in the area of work	:

Professional Information

Ongoing Research Projects

Integrated management of chickpea dry root rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina. (PI: Sudheer Kumar, Co-PI: Sumit Kumar Aggrawal)

Activities & Achievements

Worked on biological control, especially the rhizosphere competence of Trichoderma, Bacillus and Pseudomonas species, which are well known for their ability to control plant diseases through various mechanisms including the production of secondary metabolites.
Developed chitin-fortified bioformulation of Trichoderma to manage tomato root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani.
Developed and optimized response surface methodology to enhance chitinase production by Trichoderma asperellum UTP-16 in solid state fermentation by 21.15% increase in chitinase activity (4.01 U gds−1) and to enhance antifungal chitinase production in chickpea rhizosphere-associated Lysinibacillus fusiformis.
Characterized a number of antagonists for antibiotic genes (bacillomycin, iturin, fengycin, phenazine, 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol, pyrrolnitrin, pyoluteorin), chitinase, and β-glucanase — concluding that strains producing a wide range of antibiotics have potential as rhizosphere-competent biocontrol agents.
First report of occurrence of two different mating types and existence of a heterothallic mating system of sexual reproduction in Fusarium udum causing pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millspaugh) wilt in India.
Developed “GEHOON DOCTOR” mobile app for providing wheat disease and pest related information to farmers.
Developed five diagnostic assays/kits for rapid detection and diagnosis of:
- Flag smut (Urocystis tritici) of wheat
- Karnal bunt (Tilletia indica) of wheat
- Early blight of rapeseed and mustard (Alternaria brassicae)
- Alternaria solani infecting tomato
Developed seven wheat varieties:
- DWB 296 — for restricted irrigation and timely sown conditions of NWPZ
- DBW 327 — for irrigated early sown condition of NWPZ
- DBW 332 — for irrigated early sown condition of NWPZ
- DWB 316 — for irrigated late sown conditions of NEPZ
- DBW 370 — for irrigated early sown condition of NWPZ
- DBW 371 — for irrigated early sown condition of NWPZ
- DBW 372 — for irrigated early sown condition of NWPZ
Developed three barley varieties:
- DWRB 137 — for irrigated timely sown conditions for CZ and NWPZ
- DWRB 160 — two-row malt barley for irrigated timely sown conditions in NWPZ
- DWRB 182 — two-row malt barley for irrigated timely sown conditions in NWPZ
Developed two disease-resistant stocks of wheat:
- CPIIWBR 121 — resistant to yellow and brown rust of wheat
- DBW 302 — resistant to yellow rust of wheat
Developed five disease-resistant stocks of barley:
- DWRB 152 — registered yellow rust resistance
- DWRB 176 — registered for long spike and yellow rust resistance
- DWRB 180 — registered for leaf blight resistance
- DWRB 190 — registered for leaf blight resistance
- DWRB 137 — registered for yellow rust resistance and short plant stature
The high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties, biological control formulations, and crop protection technologies developed will help in effective management of diseases in an eco-friendly manner and reduce the cost of cultivation — ultimately improving the socioeconomic status of farmers.

Award and Recognition

S.N. Dasgupta Memorial Award – 2025 by Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi.
Dr. JP Chatrath Endowment Award – 2024 by Society for Advancement of Wheat and Barley Research (SAWBAR), Karnal.
SAWBAR Fellowship – 2023 by Society for Advancement in Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal.
Most Cited Paper Award – 2022 by Society for Advancement in Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal.
Nanaji Deshmukh ICAR Award for Outstanding Interdisciplinary Team Research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences – 2021.
Prof. K.C. Mehta Memorial Award – 2021, conferred for outstanding contribution in the field of Plant Pathology by Agro Environmental Development Society (AEDS).
Distinguished Scientist Award – 2021 in the field of Plant Pathology by Astha Foundation.
SAAR Distinguished Scientist Award – 2021 in the field of Plant Protection Science by Society for Agriculture and Allied Research.