Scientist Profile

Dr. C. Sankaranarayanan

Dr. C. Sankaranarayanan

Principal Scientist ,Nematology
Email:sankarnarayanan.c@icar.gov.in chellappasankar@gmail.com Mobile: +91-9865806784
  • Exploitation of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) for white grub control
  • Biointensive integrated management of plant parasitic nematodes of sugarcane
  • Exploration of novel insecticidal toxins and antimicrobial compounds from entomopathogenic symbiotic bacteria Photorhabdus / Xenorhabdus
  • Fellow and Life Member- Society for Biocontrol Advancement, NBAIR, Bangalore, India
  • Fellow and Member- Nematological Society of India, New Delhi
  • Life member- Joint Secretary-Society for Sugarcane Research and Development, Coimbatore, India
  • Life member – Society for Advancement of Plant Protection in Horticultural Ecosystems, Bangalore, India
  • Sir T. S. Venkataraman Award for outstanding Research in Sugarcane Agriculture for the Biennium 2022-23. Awarded by ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore (2024)
  • Fellow of Nematological Society of India (FNSI). Awarded by Nematological Society of India, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. (2004)
  • Fellow of Society for Biocontrol Advancement (FSBA). Awarded by Society for Biocontrol Advancement, Project Directorate of Biological Control, Bangalore. (2006)
  • Fellow of Society for Sugarcane Research and Development (FSSRD). Awarded by Society for Society for Sugarcane Research and Development, Coimbatore (2024)
  • CSIR-Senior Research Fellow, awarded by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi for Ph. D. Programme, 1992.
  • Recognized Guide for Ph. D (Zoology) of Bharathiar University, Coimbatore
  • Recognized Guide for Ph. D (Plant Pathology) of Bharathiar University, Coimbatore
  • Recognized Guide for Ph. D (BioScience) of Anna University, Coimbatore
  • Best Oral paper award in an international conference 2025
  • Best poster awards in National and international conferences (2004, 2012, 2014).

Technology Awards:

  • ICAR Technology Certification award 2025 : ICAR-CS-SBI-Technology-2025-020: As Leadr Developer of the technology entitled EPN Technology for management of white grubs has been awarded by ICAR, New Delhi 2024-25.
  • ICAR Technology Certification award 2024 : ICAR-CS-SBI-Technology-2024-067: As Associater Developer of the technology entitled Novel Bacillus thruingiensis isolate based biopesticide for control of white grub Holotrichia serrata in sugarcane has been awarded by ICAR, New Delhi 2023-24.
  • ICAR Technology Certification award 2024 : ICAR-AE-CIAE Technology- 2024-026: As Associater Developer of the Technology entitled ICAR CIAE-SBI small tractor operated EPN applicator for sugarcane white grub management has been awarded by ICAR, New Delhi 2023-24.
  • C1-19/3-6-1 . Establishment of native Entomo-Pathogenic Nematodes as potential bio-pesticide to tackle the Exotic invasive pest Fall Army Worm menace. DST SERB-TARE/2019/000116; 2019-2022 Budge18.3Lakhs (PI)
  • Artificial Intelligence powered diagnostic kit for real time monitoring of Nematode Pests of Sugarcane. DST SERB-TARE/2022/000282; 2022 to 2025, Budge:18.3Lakhs (PI)
  • C2-05/1-1-8. Development of location specific varieties through collaborative research with sugar industry (Coimbatore) funded by Sugar Industries, 2005-2009 Budget:31Lakhs (Co-PI)
  • C1-16/1-1-11. Enhancing sugar productivity in Tamil Nadu through institute- industry participatory approach- ICAR- SBI and SISMA sweet bloom project funded by SISMA, 2016-2021 Budget:20 Lakhs (Co-PI)
  • C1-16/5-1-22 Need based technological interventions under Tribal Sub Plan in selected tribal villages. Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 2014- 2018. Budget: 50 Lakhs
  • A Patent application has been submitted as a Principal Inventor in Chennai Patent office (Application) and the title of the Invention is “A process for producing Biopesticide formulation of Entomopathogenic Nematodes with extended shelf life” No. 202041003560 dated 27.01.2020.
  • A patent has been filed as a Co-Inventor in Chennai patent office entitled “Novel process for formulating a low-cost scarabid-specific Bacillus thuringiensis biopesticide for management of white grub Holotrichia serrata”. IPO No. 202241011397 dated 03-03-2022.

TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED AND COMMERCIALIZED

  • ICAR- SBI EPN BIOPESTICIDE FORMULATION

A novel ICAR-SBI EPN formulation has been developed first of its kind with longer shelf life of viable infective nematode juveniles (IJs) of EPN Heterorhabditis spp. & Steinernema spp. Successful control of white grub under field conditions obtained with ICAR-SBI EPN formulation.

  • Technology Commercialized:

            Licensing of ICAR- SBI EPN biopesticide formulation (As a Principal Inventor):

The ICAR-SBI EPN Biopesticide formulation technology has been commercialized   and Licensed to sixteen biopesticide companies.

  • Bt Biopesticide Technology: As a Co-Inventor, disclosed a technology “Novel process for formulating a low-cost scarabid-specific Bacillus thuringiensis biopesticide for management of white grub Holotrichia serrata”
  • Bt Gene Technology: As a Co-Inventor , Disclosed a technology “Novel lepidopteran active toxin gene(s) from Indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis and its use thereof” to M/s. Rasi Seeds (P) Ltd., Attur, Salem.
  • Mini tractor operated EPN applicator for sugarcane white grub management: As a Co-developer this technology has been developed in collaboration with ICAR SBI and ICAR-CIAE Coimbatore and licensed to M/s. Greenfield Equipment India Private Ltd., Coimbatore.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu 1994. Interaction of Glomus fasciculatum with Meloidogyne incognita inoculated at different timings on blackgram (Vigna mungo). Nematologia Mediterranea, 22 : 35-36
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu 1996. Effect of leaf extracts on growth of blackgram inoculated with Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (Glomus fasciculatum) and root-knot nematode(Meloidogyne incognita). Indian Journal of Nematology, 26 : 144-147.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Hussaini, S. S., Sreerama Kumar, P. and Prasad, R. D. 1997. Nematicidal effect of fungal filtrates against root-knot nematodes. Journal of Biological Control, 11: 37-41.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu 1997. Role of Phosphobacteria on the interaction of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (Glomus mosseae) and root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on blackgram. International Journal of Tropical Plant Disease, 15: 93-98.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu 1998. Effect of Rhizobium on the interaction of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae and root-knot nematode on blackgram. Nematologia Mediterranea 26: 195-198.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Hussaini, S. S., Sreerama Kumar, P. and Rangeshwaran, R. 1998. Antagonistic effect of Trichoderma and Gliocladium against the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in sunflower. Proceedings of National symposium on ‘Rational approaches in Nematode Management for Sustainable Agriculture’, GAU, Anand, November 23-25.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Hussaini, S. S., Sreerama Kumar, P. and Rangeshwaran, R. 1999. Biocontrol of root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on sunflower with talc based nematophagous fungi. International Journal of Tropical Plant Disease, 16: 253-260
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu 1999. Effect of phosphatic fertilizers on the interaction of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (Glomus mosseae) and root-knot nematode ( Meloidogyne incognita) on blackgram (Vigna mungo). Indian Journal of Nematology, 29:44-47.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu 1999. Role of phosphorus on the interaction of Glomus mosseae and root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on blackgram (Vigna mungo). Indian Journal of Nematology, 29: 78-81.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu. 2000. Influence of moisture and pH on the biocontrol efficiency of VA-mycorrhiza Glomus mosseae against Meloidogyne incognita on black gram. Journal of Biological Control, 15: 69-72.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Hussaini, S. S., Sreerama Kumar, P. and Rangeshwaran, R. 2000. Granular application of antagonistic fungi for the biological control of Meloidogyne incognita on tomato. Indian Journal of Nematology, 30: 157-161.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Hussaini, S. S., Sreerama Kumar, P. and Rangeshwaran, R. 2000. Biological control of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood on tomato by Verticillium chlamydosporiumcultured on different substrates. Journal of Biological Control 14: 39-43.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Hussaini, S. S., Sreerama Kumar, P. and Rangeshwaran, R. 2002. Parasitism of Meloidogyne incognita eggs by Fusarium oxysporum and other fungi. Indian Journal of Nematology, 32:33-36.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Easwaramoorthy, S. and Nethi Somasekhar 2003. Infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis and Steinernema to sugarcane shoot borer, Chilo Infuscatellus Snellen at different temperatures. Sugar Tech, 5 (3): 167-171.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Somasekhar, N. and Singaravelu, B. 2006. Biocontrol potential of entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis and Steinernema against pupae and adults of white grub Holotrichia serrata Sugar Tech, 8 (4): 268-271.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Somasekhar, N. and Singaravelu, B. and Shunmugasundaram, M. 2008. Pathogenicity of entomopathogenic nematodes to sugarcane internode borer Chilo sacchariphagus indicus Kapur (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Journal of Biological Control, 22 (1): 1-5.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu. 2009. Reciprocal influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and root knot nematode and interaction effects on blackgram. Nematologia Mediterranea, 37: 197-202.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Rajeswari Sundarababu. 2010. Influence of application methods of arbuscular mycorrhiza Glomus mosseae in the bio-management of root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita on blackgram (Vigna mungo L.) Hepper. Journal of Biological Control, 24 (1): 51–57, 2010.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. Singaravelu, B., Somasekhar N. and Santhalakshmi, G. 2011. Penetration and pathogenicity of entomopathogenic nematodes to sugarcane early shoot borer Chilo infuscatellus Snellen (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Journal of Biological Control, 25(1): 1-4.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Hari K. 2013. Bio-management of root knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica on sugarcane by combined application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Glomus and nematophagous fungi. Journal of Sugarcane Research, 3(1) 62-70.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Singaravelu, B.and Rajeshkumar, 2017. Field evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) against white grub Holotrichia serrata in sugarcane. Journal of Sugarcane Research 7 (1) : 64 – 69.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C., Singaravelu, B.and Rajeshkumar, 2019. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN): Diversity in Indian tropical sugarcane ecosystem and its biocontrol potential against white grub Holotrichia serrata F. on sugarcane. Sugar Tech 21 (3): 371-382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-018-0628-9.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Hari, K. 2021. Integration of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal and nematode antagonistic fungi for the biocontrol of root lesion nematode Pratylenchus zeae Graham, 1951 on Sugarcane. Sugar Tech 23 (1):194–200 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355020008761
  • Aiswarya, D.  Raja, R. K., Kamaraj, C., Balasubramani, G., Deepak, P., Arul, D., Amutha, V., Sankaranarayanan, C., Hazir, S. and Perumal, P. 2019. Biosynthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles from the Symbiotic Bacterium, Photorhabdus luminescens of Entomopathogenic Nematode: Larvicidal Properties against Three Mosquitoes and Galleria mellonella Larvae. Journal of Cluster Science. 30(4) : 1051–1063 
  • Singaravelu, B., Suresha, G.S., Srikanth, J. Appunu, C., Sankaranarayanan, C., Mahesh, P., Nirmala, R. and Rajeshkumar, M. 2020. Prospecting in Western Ghats of Karnataka for indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis isolates harbouring novel crystal toxin genes for sugarcane pest management. Journal of Sugarcane Research (2020) 10, 113-120.
  • Srikanth,J., B. Singaravelu, N. Crickmore, P. Mahesh, C. Sankaranarayanan, G. S. Suresha, C. Appunu, R. Nirmala, M. Om Prakash, K. M. Athira. 2023. Laboratory evaluation of a scarabid‑specifc isolate of Bacillus thuringiensis against white grub Holotrichia serrata. BioControl. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-023-10220-7.
  • Naveenarani M., Suresha G.S., Srikanth J., Hari K., Sankaranarayanan C., Mahesh P., Nirmala R., Swathik C.P., Crickmore N., Bakshi Ram, Appunu C., Singaravelu B.2022. Whole genome analysis and functional characterization of a novel Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt 62) isolate against sugarcane white grub Holotrichia serrata (F). Genomics 114: 185-195.
  • Krithika V.P., Anita Bellie, Ganeshan Shandeep, Vijay Settu, Deeikshana Thirunavukkarasu, Haran Ramkumar, C. Sankaranarayanan, Prabhu Somasundaram and K. Devrajan 2024. Genome mining of Photorhabdus luminescens TNAU1 reveals novel gene assets with insecticidal and nematicidal properties. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology, 133: 102358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2024.102358.
  • Krithika V.P., Anita Bellie, Ramkumar Haran, Deeikshana Thirunavukkarasu, Shandeep Ganeshan, C. Sankaranarayanan, Prabhu Somasundaram, M. Suganthy and Gomathi V.2025. Nanoemulsified Formulation of Cell-Free Supernatant from Photorhabdus luminescens as a Sustainable Biopesticide against Spodoptera frugiperda. Crop Protection: 190-107057, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2024.107057.
  • Ramalingam Karthik Raja, Seetharaman Prabu Kumar, Govindasamy Balasubramani, Chellappa Sankaranarayanan, Bo Liu, Selcuk Hazir, Mathiyazhagan Narayanan 2025. An updated review on green synthesized nanoparticles to control insect pests, Journal of Pest Science, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-024-01863-1.

Book

  • Seenivasan, N., Sankaranarayanan, C and Subramanian K. S. 2023. The Use of Humic Acid in Nematode Management. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK. ISBN: 978-1-5275-1180-4. p.149.

Books Chapters

  • Sankaranarayanan, C. 2010. Nematode infestation in sugarcane In: Nematodes infestation of crops in India. Jairajpuri M. S. and. Khan M. R. (Eds.), National Academy of Sciences, India. Pp.20-57.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. 2013. Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi as biocontrol agent of phytonematodes”In: Biocontrol agents of phytonematodes. (Eds.) T. H. Askary and CABI Publishing pp.365-389  ISBN 9781780643755.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. and Tarique Hassan Askary Status of entomopathogenic nematodes in integrated pest management strategies in India. In. Biocontrol Agents: Entomopathogenic and Slug Parasitic Nematodes (Eds.) Mahfouz M.M. Abd-Elgawad, Tarique Hassan Askary and James Coupland, CABI International pp. 362-382. ISBN.97817-86390-00-4
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. 2016. Nematode infestation in sugarcane and its managemet. In: Karumpu Sakupadi (Tamil). Rajula Shanthy, T., Bakshi Ram, Viswanathan, R., Palaniswami, C. and HemaPrabha, G. (Eds.), ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India. Pp.201-2016. ISBN 978-93-85267-02-4.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. 2021. Entomopathogenic nematodes for the control of white grubs in sugarcane. In. Recent scientific advances in sugarcane cultivation for doubling farmers’s income. Edts. Bakshi Ram, Hemaprabha, Ratna Nashine, K. Mohanraj, P. murali, and Rayees Ahmad Shah. Dilpreet Publishing House, Ariana Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi. P 394-397. ISBN : 978-81-953726-0-7.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. 2022. Integrated nematode management in sugarcane In: Hand book on sugarcane. HemaPrabha, G, Rajula Shanthy, T, Viswanathan, R., and Palaniswami, C. (Eds.), ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India. Pp.209-2014. ISBN 978-93-85267-34-5.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. 2022. Integrated nematode management in sugarcane In:: Karumpu Sakupadi (Tamil). Rajula Shanthy., T.HemaPrabha, G, Viswanathan, R., Palaniswami, C. and. (Eds.), ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India. Pp.167-172. ISBN 978-93-85267-35-2.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C.  Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Protect Vegetable Crops from  Pathogenic Root-Knot Nematodes. In. Microbial Biostimulants: Biorational Pesticides for Management of Plant Pathogens. Faheem Ahmad and Rakesh Pandey (Edts), CRC Press, USA, ISBN 978-1-77491-624-7.p. 107-124.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. 2024. Sugarcane ‒ Nematode Complex: Polyspecific Paradise. Nematode problems of Crops and their management in south Asia. Walia, R. K. and Khan, M. R. (Edts), Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK. pp.277-290. ISBN :978-1-5275-5846-5.
  • Sankaranarayanan, C. 2025. Sugarcane nematode management under tropical conditions. In. Climate Smart Sugarcane Cultivation. R Bhatt, K. K Varma, S. Prasad and M. Oliveira (Edts), pp. 443-473 . CRC Press, USA,. ISBN: 9781774919972.