Scientist Profile

Dr.N.Geetha

Dr.N.Geetha

Principal Scientist (Entomology)
ICAR-SBI Email:mvsbi@yahoo.com
  • Integrated pest management and biocontrol of sugarcane pests.
  • Assessment of pest incidences, use of pheromones, granulosis viruses, parasitoids and entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) and IPM for sugarcane pest management.
  • Whitefly management and work on the EPF Aschersonia placenta
  • Pioneered the work on incidence and impact of crown mealy bug Phenococcus saccharifolii besides the vast work on its bioecology, biocontrol agents and management.
  • Pioneered the work at SBI in collection of geographical isolates of granulosis virus and usage against shoot borer
  • Pioneered developing a repository of entomopathogenic fungi isolates for management of subterranean pests (termites and white grubs), mass production of Metarhizium and Beauveria through solid state and liquid fermentation, characterization and selection of virulent isolates and working on formulations for field use.
  • Currentlly involved in maintenance of more than 300 isolates of eight species of biocontrol fungi in our repository.
  • Formulated a Trichogramma release package for management of Internode borer using many years of study on the host-parasitoid relationship, tritrophic relationship, dispersal rate, cold storage, crop architecture, response to volatiles and pest ecology.

Currently involved in identifying several virulent isolates of Metarhizium and Beauveria for use against borers and white grubs and pioneered assessment ofendophytic activity of Metarhizium in sugarcane. Working on the endophytic contribution of these two species for pest management in sugarcane and mass multiplication of fungus for enhancing the inoculum level in the field.

  • Interested and involved in training crop protection personnel and farmers
  • SSRD
  • Society for Biocontrol Advancement
  • AICRP (Biological Control)

Fellowships/Awards

  • Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, 2002-2004
  • Young Scientist Fellowship(Awarded but not availed), Tamil Nadu State Council For Science and Technology, 2000-2001
  • Expert for preparation of “Economic Impact Module” on Nilaparvata lugens , a part of post – global crop protection compendium ., CAB International , London , 2000
  • Award of best paper: in the session of Crop Protection and Sericulture, at the Eleventh Annual Congress held during Nov. 18-19, 1999, Eleventh Annual Congress University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka., 1999
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Award – for outstanding Post-graduate Agricultural Research in Agricultural  Entomology  , Indian Council of Agricultural Research., 1999
  • Nathenial Memorial Gold Medal for best thesis in Agricultural Entomology /Plant Pathology / Nematology including Weed   , Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 1999
  • Senior Research Fellowship, (Ph.D)., Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1996
  • Junior Research Fellowship, (M. Sc)., Indian Council of Agricultural Reseach, 1987-89
  • Junior Research Fellowship, (M. Sc.);(awarded but not availed), ASPEE (agricultural research & development foundation, Mumbai, 1986
  • National Merit Scholarship,( B. Sc.), Government of Tamil Nadu, 1980-1986

Honours

  • ITEC Expert (Crop Protection), Sugar Research Institute of Fiji, Fiji Islands, 2022-2024
  • Invited Lectures on sugarcane Crop protection, screening protocols, Biosecurity, Breeding for disease management and integrated pest management, University of Fiji, Fiji Islands, 2022-2024
  • Resource person for Termite monitoring, FAW monitoring, FLG monitoring and training sugar industry staff, Fiji Islands, 2022-2024
  • Best paper award for work on Fiji Leaf Gall Disease in the 8th IAPSIT International Sugar Conference (ISC 2024) and Sugarcon 2024. , ICISE, QuyDinh, Vietnam, 16-19 September 2024
  • Lead speaker on Leaf scald, A limiting factor in sugarcane production in Fiji. 6th International Conference on “Cutting-Edge Solutions in Science- Agriculture, Technology, Engineering and Humanities” (CSATEH-2024), India. , “Cutting-Edge Solutions in Science- Agriculture, Technology, Engineering and Humanities” (CSATEH-2024), India, August 24-26, 2024
  • Lead speaker: work on Aschersonia placenta at Golden Jubilee International Conference – Global Perspectives in Crop Protection for Food Security (GPCP 2021)” , TNAU, Coimbatore, India., 8.12.21
  • Prize for best oral presentation for the work on Metarhizium anisopliae presented at the National Conference on “ Priorities in Crop Protection for Sustainable Agriculture” , Sponsored by ICAR-NBAIR, Bengaluru and organized by Central Agricultural University, Imphal., March 16-18,2021.
  • Invited speaker for technical session(Biocontrol of soil arthropods: White grubs and termites by Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF)” during the Webinar on “ Biological Control of Soil arthropods” , Conducted by Foundation for Agricultural Resources Management And Environmental Remediation (FARMER) and ICAR-ANP on Soil Arthropod Pests-Voluntary centre (VC) Ghaziabad  in 2.1.21c, 1.21
  • External expert for selection of Best thesis in M.Sc. and Ph.D. Agricultural Entomology, TamilNadu Agricultural University, 2020
  • Member, Selection Committee for the elevation of Research fellows, Scientists in the Faculty of Agricultural Entomology and Plant Nematology , TamilNadu Agricultural University, Bharathiyar University, 2019,2017
  • Member, Expert team, “Cane Advisor” -Mobile App., ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Continuous
  • Member , Editorial board, 1.Member, Editorial Board of Journal of Theoretical and Experimental Biology(2004-till now)
  • Member , Editorial Board of Journal of Sugarcane Research(2017-2020)
  • American Journal of Entomology, (2024-Continuous)
  • Referee , Journal of Sugarcane Research, Journal of Environmental Biology and Sugar Tech, Current Science, Entomon, Journal of Insect Science, Journal of Applied Entomology and many others, 2012-2020
  • “Noel Deerr Gold Medal Award” for the Year 2014-2015 for best work in Sugarcane Agriculture Section , during the 73rdAnnual Convention Annual Convention of  STAI,  9-11th Sept. 2014 held at Bengaluru, Sugarcane Technologists Association of India, 2014-2015
  • National Symposium on Harnessing Biodiversity for Biological Control of Crop Pests 5–26th May 2011held at National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects,Bengaluru, Society for Advancement of Biocontrol & NBAIR, Bangalore, 2011
  • External expert for M.Sc. and Ph.D (Agrl. Entomology), TamilNadu Agricultural University, Bharathiyar University., 2015-2022
  • Member of Ph.D committee for a student Gandhigram University., Gandhigram University., 2014
  • Committee member (M.Sc and Ph.D -Agrl.Entomology), TamilNadu Agricultural University, 2022-2025
  • Served as the ITEC Expert (Crop Protection) through Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India in Fiji Islands(Sugar Research Institute of Fiji) during 2022-2024.

Papers in scientific journals:

  • Geetha, N. and M.Gopalan, 1999. Potential of the mirid bug Cyrtorhinus    lividipennis   Reuter   predating on plant- and leaf hoppers infesting rice. J. ent Res. 23 (1) 55-60.
  • Geetha, N., R.J.Rabindra, B.Muthukumar, B.Thayumanavan, A.Regupathy and P.C.Sundarababu,1999. Effect of Nuclear Polyhedrosis virus infection on the activity of carboxylesterase and glutathione S-transferase in Helicoverpa armigera (Hbn.). Tropical Agricultural Research, Vol. 11,408-424.
  • Cherry, A.J., R.J. Rabindra , M.A.Parnell, Geetha , J.S. Kennedy and D. Grazywacz ,2000. Field evaluation of Helicoverpa armigera Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus formulations for the chickpea pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hbn.) on chickpea (Cicer arietinum var. shoba) in South India.  Crop Protection 19(1): 15-16.
  • Geetha,N. and R.J.Rabindra,2000. Evaluation of anti-viral compounds against nuclear polyhedrosis virus infection in Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner). Pest Managt. Eco. Zool.,8(2): 155-159.
  • Geetha, N. and M.Gopalan, 2001.Influence of fertilizers and predation by Cyrtorhinus lividipennis Reuter on population buildup of rice brown plant hopper Nilaparvata lugens Stal. Appl.Zool.Res.12 (1).: 31-35.
  • Geetha, N. and M.Gopalan, 2001.Prey preference of the predatory mirid bug Cyrtorhinus lividipennis Reuter(Heteroptera: Miridae ) between the  eggs and nymphs of rice brown plant hopper Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera:Delphacidae). Appl.Zool.Res. 12(1).:23-26
  • Geetha,N. and R.J.Rabindra, 2001.Safety of newly developed formulations of nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Helicoverpa armigera (HaNPV) to two non   target organisms. Entomon (26):104-109.
  • Geetha, N. 2008. Response of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) to host plant volatiles. Pest Management and Economic Zoology, 16(2):  207-214.
  • Geetha,N. Esther D. Shekinah and P. Rakkiyappan ,2009.Comparative impact of release frequency of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii against Chilo sacchariphagus indicus (Kapur) in sugarcane. Biol. Control, 23(4): 343–351.
  • Geetha, N. 2009a. Effect of timing, increase in frequency of release and dose of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii for the management of the internode borer, Chilo sacchariphagus indicus (Kapur), in sugarcane. Pest Managt.Eco. Zool., 17(1): 17-23.
  • Geetha, N.2009b. Use of native host volatiles in host location by laboratory-reared Trichogramma chilonis Pest Management and Economic Zoology, 17(2): 109-119.
  • Geetha, N., 2010a Appraisal of quality parameters of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) as affected by prolonged cold storage of parasitoid cards. Entomon 35(1): 51-54.
  • Geetha, N. 2010b.Compatibility of pheromones and Trichogramma chilonis Ishii for the management of inter node borer Chilo sacchriphagus indicus (Kapur) in Sugarcane. Insect. Sci. 23(3):301-307.
  • Geetha, N. 2010c. Management of inter node borer Chilo sacchariphagus indicus (Kapur) by Trichogramma chionis Ishii: Appraisal of weekly releases at increased doses. Indian J. Entomol., 72(2):155-169.
  • Geetha, N and R. Balakrishnan, 2010.Dispersal pattern of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii in sugarcane field. Journal of Biological Control, 24 (1): 1–7.
  • Geetha, N. 2010. Recognition of native host volatiles by laboratory reared Trichogramma chilonis Ishii Biol. Control, 24 (2): 126-132.
  • Geetha, N. and R. Balakrishnan, 2011. Temporal and spatial dispersal of laboratory reared Trichogramma chilonis Ishii in open field. Entomol. 8(2):164-173.
  • Geetha, N., D. Nithya, K. Hari, M. Preseetha, K. Subadra Bai and G. Santhalakshmi, 2011. Rhizosphere competence of three entomopathogenic fungi in relation to host plant and inter- specific interaction. Sugarcane Res.1(2) : 66-74.
  • Geetha, N. 2011. Fate of the released trichocards in sugarcane vis –a-vis ant predation. Biol. Contl. 25(4): 270-279.
  • Geetha, N., M. Preseetha, K. Hari, G. Santhalakshmi, K. Subadra Bai,2012.In vivo interactions of entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria and Metarhizium anisopliae with selected opportunistic soil fungi of sugarcane ecosystem. J. of Environ. Biol., 33:721-727.
  • Geetha, N. 2017. Damage and status of black bug complex (Cavalerius sweetii Slater and Miyamato, excavates Distant (F.) (Lygaeidae: Hemiptera) in sugarcane in India. Journal of Insect Science, 30(1): 132-138.
  • Geetha, N. , K.P.Salin, R.Nirmala and R.Sukanya.2018. Economic natural broth media for spore production of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo)Vuillemin and Beauveria brongniartii (Sacc.)Petch. Journal of Sugarcane Research , 8(1):76-85.
  • Kannan , M., N. Geetha , K. Elango , M. Mohan and G. Sivakumar( 2021).Characterization of granulosis viruses of sugarcane early shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus (Snell.) and internode borer, Chilo sacchariphagus indicus (Kapur).Current   Science, 121( 4):570-573. doi: 10.18520/cs/v121/i4/570-573 .
  • Viswanathan, R., R. Selvakumar, N. Geetha, C. G. Balaji, A. Annadurai , Adhini S. Pazhani, P. Malathi, A. Ramesh Sundar, R. Nithiyanantham, K. Manivannan (2022).Epidemiology of sugarcane wilt: predisposition by root borer Polyocha depresellaa myth or reality? Indian Phytopathology,(75):3-14.
  • Viswanathan,R.,N. Geetha.K P Salin,R. Selvakumar, P.Malathi, A.R.Sundar,R Nithyanantham and K. Manivannan. Twisted top disease a destructive disease of sugarcane in India Indian Phytopathology,DOI: 10.1007/s42360-022-00588-4
  • Geetha, N., R. Viswanathan, T. Ramasubramanian, K. P. Salin, C. Yogambal, P. Nirmala devi, S. Karthigeyan,and N. Chitra (2022). Phenacoccus saccharifolii (Green) (Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera) on sugarcane in Tamil Nadu, India Current Science, 123, no. 9 (2022): 11
  • Yamini , R., P. S. Shanmugam, M. Murugan, N. Geetha, P. Meenakshi, and A. Kandan. 2023. Protein Levels in Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorokīn Infested Tomato Fruit Borer Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera; Noctuidae). International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 13 (9):2747-53. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2023/v13i92507.
  • Yamini R, Shanmugam P.S, Murugan M, Geetha N, Meenakshi P, Srinivasan T, Premalatha K, Kandan A, Sathiyaraj G, Vivekanandhan P.2024.Effects of Metarhizium anisopliae on the histochemistry and enzymatic activities of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner, 1809),Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 62, 103443,ISSN 1878-8181,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2024.103443.
  • Monisha U, Shanmugam PS, Murugan M, Jeyarani S, Geetha N, Srinivasan T, Suganthi A, Raghu R, Indhumathi K, Yamini R, Naveen M, Vivekanandhan P. Efficacy and Ultrastructural Impact of Metarhizium anisopliae and Metarhizium robertsii on Myllocerus subfasciatus. J Basic Microbiol. 2025 Apr;65(4):e70000. doi: 10.1002/jobm.70000. Epub 2025 Feb 2. PMID: 39895027.
  • Rajendran, Y., Venkata Koushik, P., Pagalahalli Sankaran, S., Marimuthu, M., Nandagopal, G., Thulasy, S., … Aravindaram, K. (2025). Pathogenicity and ultramicroscopic analysis of green muscardine fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae, infecting the tomato fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera. Mycologia, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00275514.2025.2481821

Book chapters

  • Geetha N, Rabindra RJ (1999) Genetic variability and comparative virulence of some geographic isolates of nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Helicoverpa armigera In: Ignacimuthu S, Sen A, Janarthana S (eds) Biotechnological application for integrated pest management. Oxford and IBH Publ. Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, pp 65–78
  • Subramanian, S. N.Geetha, G.Santharam, N.Sathiah and R.J.Rabindra. 2006. Diversity analysis of Spodoptera litura  Nucleopolyhedrovirus isolates. In. Biodiversity and Insect Pest Management. 2006 (eds. S. Ignacimuthu s.j., and S.Jayaraj) pp.216-222.Narosa Publishing House, NewDelhi. 412p ISBN No: 13: 978-81-7319-776-5.
  • Jayanthi, R N.Mukunthan, K.P.Salin, J.Srikanth, N.Geetha, B.Singaravelu and C. Sankaranarayanan. 2009. Sugarcane pests and their management. 88p. Published by Directorate of open and distance learning, TNAU,Coimbatore-3.
  • Geetha, N. 2011. Pest management in sugarcane: Present strategies and future thrusts. In. Recent trends in integrated pest management. (ed.) A.K. Dhawan, Balwinde Singh, Ramesh Arora, M. B. Bhullar. P.166-176. Published by Indian Society for the Advancement of Insect Science, Department of Entomology, PAU, Ludhiana.
  • Rajula Shanthy, T., Bakshi Ram,S .Alarmelu, M.N.Premachandran,R. Viswanathan, C.Palanisamy, A.Bhaskaran, Geetha, P. Malathi, C.Jayabose, T. Arumuganathan, V.P. Sobhakumari, 2016. Sugarcane Technologies, ICAR- Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore.116p.
  • Geetha, N., Nirmala and K.P.Salin,2016. Karumbil poochi melanmai-oru kannottam. Pp 82-87. In. Karumpu urpathiyil nevena thozhil nutpankal (ed. P. Murali, D.PuthiraPradap, V.Venkatasubramanian and T. RalulaShanthy), SBI/NABARD/2016/TA01.118P
  • Geetha, N. and K.P.Salin, 2016. Karumbil mudhelumbu piranigalin melanomal Pp. 95-98. In. Karumpu urpathiyil nevena thozhil nutpankal (ed. P. Murali, D.PuthiraPradap, V. Venkatasubramanian  and T. RalulaShanthy), SBI/NABARD/2016/TA01.118P
  • Sithanantham,S., Geetha, N., Arun Baitha, and S.K. Jalali ,2013 Utility of Trichogramma for biocontrol of sugarcane borers P.271-300 In. S. Sithanantham, Chandish R. Ballal , S.K. Jalali, N. Bakthavatsalam (Ed.). Biological Control of Insect Pests Using Egg Parasitoids. ISBN 978-81-322-1180-8. Springer New Delhi Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London
  • Geetha, N.2016.Baculovirus Expression Vector system for Foreign protein production. Pp-149-167. In Ramasubramanian, T., Singaravelu, B. and Appunu, C(Eds.). Techniques in Insect Molecular Biology and Toxicology(e-Book). ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore,201p.
  • Viswanathan, R.N. Geetha, A. Anna Durai, P. T. Prathima, C. Appunu,B. Parameswari, K. Nithya, T. Ramasubramanian, and A. Selvi (2022). Genomic Designing for Biotic Stress Resistance in Sugarcane. C. Kole (ed.), Genomic Designing for Biotic Stress Resistant Technical Crops,https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09293-0_9