Dr Devakumar

Scientist Profile

Research interests and current focus

Sugarcane genomics, Water use efficiency genes in Sugarcane
Sugarcane- GRAS transcription factor and its role in abiotic stress

Membership in professional societies

Indian Society for Plantation Crops, Kasaragod, India
Society for Sugarcane Research and Development

Awards and honours

NAIP International training fellowship in 2013 for three months training in Boyce Thomson Plant Research Institute, Cornell University USA.

International Exposure

IPGRI-COGENT fellowship for six months (2001)- For developing Microsatellite Kit for distinguishing world coconut accessions. CIRAD, France.

Research Publications

Research papers

Gautam RK, Singh PK, Venkatesan K, Rakesh B, Sakthivel K, Swain S, Srikumar M, Zamir Ahmed SK, Devakumar K, Rao SS, Vijayan J, Ali S and Langyan S (2023) Harnessing intra and inter -varietal variation for agro-morphological and nutritional traits in a popular rice landrace for sustainable food security in tropical islands. Front. Nutr. 10:1088208. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1088208.
Aparna, V., Deva Kumar, K., Neema, K., Sandip Shil and Anitha Karun (2024). Effect of light-emitting diodes on somatic embryogenesis and tissue-cultured plantlet growth of arecanut (Areca catechu) dwarf hybrid VTLAH-2. Current Horticulture, 12(1), 55–60.
Deva Kumar, K., Regi Thomas and Anitha Karun (2020). A durable pollination raincoat for hybridization during monsoon in coconut, Journal of Plantation Crops, 48(3), 269–272.
Deva Kumar, K., Neema, M., Aparna, V., Krishna Prakash, Gangaraj, K.P. and Anitha Karun (2019). An improved device for Coconut embryo extraction. Journal of Plantation Crops. 2017, 45(3). 197-199.
Deva Kumar, K., Arumuganathan, T., Regi Jacob Thomas, Niral, V., Anitha Karun and Chowdappa, P. (2018). A Cost-Effective Ground Pollination System for Hybridization in Tall Coconut Palms. Current Science,114(5), 964-970.
Gautam, R.K., Srikumar, M., Singh, P. K, Singh, A K, Sakthivel, K, Israr Ahmad and Devakumar K. (2015). Polymorphism Between Popular Rice Varieties of Andaman and Bacterial Blight Resistant Donor IRBB 60 Revealed Through Highly Variable SSR Markers. Vol. 29 (Special) : 01-05.
Devakumar, K., Thomas, R.J., Nair, R.V., Jerard, B.A., Rajesh, M.K., Jacob, P.M., Jayadev, K. and Parthasarathy, V.A. (2011) Analysis of population structure and genetic relatedness among root (wilt) disease-resistant and susceptible west coast tall coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.) using microsatellite markers. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 81:487-493.
Devakumar, K., Niral, V., Jerard, B.A., Jayabose, C., Chandramohanan, R. and Jacob P.M. (2010). Microsatellite analysis of distinct coconut accessions from Agatti and Kavaratti Islands, Lakshadweep, India. Scientia horticulturae 125(3), 309-315.
Niral, V. Devakumar K. , Umamaheswari T. S., Naganeeswaran S., Nair R. V. and Jerard, B. A. (2013). Morphological and molecular characterization of a large fruited unique coconut accession from Vaibhavwadi, Maharashtra, India. Indian J. Genet., 73(2): 220-224.
Gautam, R. K., Singh, P. K., Venkatesan, K., Sakthivel, K., Zamir Ahmed, S. K., Swain, S., Devakumar, K., Shyam Sunder Rao, K., Meena, B. L., Iquebal, M. A., Jaiswal S. (2020). Intra ‑varietal stability performance of popular rice landrace ‘C14‑8’ in the Andaman Islands. Cereal Research Communications, 48, 103-111.
Deva Kumar, K., Gautam, R. K., Israr Ahmed, Dam Roy. S., and Archana Sharma (2014). Biochemical genetic and molecular basis of novel and commercially important soft endosperm makapuno coconut- review. Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment 12(3&4):132-136.
Jayadev, K., Rajesh, M.K.., Deva Kumar, K., Thomas, R.J., Nair, R.V. and Parthasarathy V.A. (2005). DNA amplification fingerprinting in coconut: protocol optimization and analysis of resistance to root (wilt) disease. CORD, 21(1).
Niral, V., Augustine Jerard, B, Samsudeen, K, Nair, RV, Jacob, P.M., Devakumar, K., Ratnambal, M.J., Kumaran P.M., Rao, E.V.V., Pillai, R.V., George V Thomas.
(2014). IND 030-Laccadive Micro Tall (IC0430669; INGR13060), a Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Germplasm with Cluster Bearing Heavy Bunches of Micro Nuts. Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources, 27(1), 73-74.
Deva Kumar, K., Gautam, R. K., Israr Ahmed, Dam Roy. S., and Archana Sharma (2014). High frequency occurrence of soft endosperm mutant Macapuno coconuts in Andaman Islands and their embryo culture,74(4), 532–535.
Augustine Jerard, B., Niral, V., Dhanapal, R., Damodaran, V., Arunachalam, V., Rajesh, M.K., Devakumar, K., Samsudeen, K., Nair, R.V., Kumaran, P.M. and George V Thomas (2014). IND 221–Andaman horned Cocos (IC0598221; INGR13063), a coconut (Cocos nucifera) germplasm with distinct character of horny nuts. Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources, 27(1): 76-77.
Augustine Jerard, B., Niral, V., Samsudeen, K., Jacob, P.M., Devakumar, K., Rajesh, M.K., Karun, A. and Thomas, G.V., 2014. IND 331-Laccadive Mini Micro Tall (IC0598222; INGR13064), a Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Germplasm with Distinct Character of Extremely Small Nuts with Very Low Copra Content, not found in any other Coconut Variety. Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources, 27(1): 77.

Books and Book chapters

Deva Kumar, K., Jerard, B. A., Dhanapal, R., Damodaran,V., Niral,V and Naganeeswaran, S Genetic relatedness of coconut populations from Andaman and Nicobar Islands traced to the Indian sub continent using microsatellite markers, In Proceedings of the International Conference on Coconut Biodiversity for Prosperity, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, Kerala, India, 25–28 October 2010; Thomas, G.V., Krishnakumar, V., Augustine Jerard, B.A., Eds.; pp. 67–75.