Scientific Staff

Dr. S. S. Rao

Dr. S. S. Rao

Discipline: Plant Physiology | Designation: Principal Scientist | At IIMR Since: 1991

Email: ssrao@millets.res.in  |  Mobile: 09849108123

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Academic Qualifications

Degree Institute/ University Year of completion Subject(s) with major field
Ph.D*  Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana 1992 Botany, Crop Physiology, Rice drought stress Physiology.
M. Sc Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, AP 1981 Botany, Crop Physiology
*Thesis title: Assessment of certain physiological parameters governing drought resistance in traditional upland rice varieties (Research work carried out at Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad)

Employment Record & Experience (Starting from the present position)

Designation Organization Institution & place of posting Period
(From-to)
Duration
(years, months)
Principal Scientist (Plant Physiology) ICAR IIMR, Hyderabad 27 July 2006 to till date  
Senior Scientist ( Plant Physiology) ICAR National Research Centre for Sorghum,
Hyderabad, AP
July 27,1998 to 26 July 2006 8 years
Scientist Sr Scale ( Plant Physiology) ICAR National Research Centre for Sorghum,
Hyderabad, AP
10 Feb.1991 to 26 July, 1998 7 years
Scientist (Plant Physiology) ICAR National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR),Reg. Stn, Akola, MS 1 Aug. 1986 to 9 Feb.1991 4 years , 9 months
Scientist (Plant Physiology) . ICAR National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR), Pusa Campus, New Delhi $ 22 March 1986 to 31 July, 1986
5 months[Joined at NBPGR after qualifying ARS] 

$ Qualified as Scientist S-1 through all India Agricultural Research Service (ARS) exam. of  ICAR held in Oct. 1985.

Current responsibilities:

  • Phenotyping kharif sorghum (grain, dual-purpose, sweet, forage) for climate change (drought & heat stress tolerance) adaptation. and mapping population development for MAS/QTL identification.
  • Physiological basis of assessing the genetic progress in yield potential of kharif sorghum cultivars and parental lines
  • AICRP Sorghum Physiology Coordination as Principal Investigator
  • Other activities – Nodal Officer, Swachha Bharat Mission

Recent major contributions:

  • Quantified the impact of climate change (preflowering drought & heat stress) on dryland sorghum in controlled environments. Involved in development of five rabi sorghum cultivars (Phule Maulee, Phule chitra, CSV26R, CRS1, CRS4) for medium to shallow soil with drought and heat tolerance traits. Significantly contributed to the development & release of sweet sorghum cv. CSV24SS for high bioethanol yields for all India. Of the five sweet sorghum entries (SPV2072, SPV2073, SPV2074, SSRV4, & SSRV5) contributed for all India testing, cv. SPV2074 was found superior for ethanol yields, and is being submitted for release.
  • Growth and development of Indian tropical sorghum were characterized on 0 to 9 schemes. Identified of selectable and reliable traits to be used for screening germplasm under drought and heat stress condition such as higher green leaf area index, staygreen rating, high apparent leaf density (SLW), SPAD, total chlorophyll content, sink potential (grain number m-2) and drought susceptibility index. Potential sorghum donors identified include Indore12, 27B, CS3541, SPV1671, CSV27, IS13521, SPV462, S35, SPV922, B35 and E36-1.
  • Identified the best planting window for sweet sorghum i.e., from June 1 to July 1and high yielding hybrid namely CSH22SS for grain and bioenergy production in dryland areas of semiarid climate. Organized pilot (big-mill tests) with several biofuel industries and produced bioethanol from sweet sorghum. Produced a film (CD), extension flyers on potential sweet sorghum for bioethanol production.

Recent awards and recognitions:

  • Visiting Scientist at Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, KS, USA on sabbatical leave for four months (Feb to June 2012). Worked on climate change of dryland sorghum with full financial assistance received from KSU, USA.
  • Invited lectures presented on utilization of sweet sorghum for first and second generation biofuel feedstock at BITS, Hyderabad; MNITs, Nitte; Min of Petrolium, GoI, etc.
  • Received the best poster and oral award (cash) on “sweet sorghum as bioenergy crop” at national seminar, IIT, Chennai (2008) and national millets seminar (2010), NIRD, Hyderabad.
  • Major advisor for guiding PG students (MSc Ag & PhD) of PJTSAU, and ANGRU, Hyderabad and UAS, Benguluru.
  • Fellow, Indian society for Plant Physiology (FISPP), IARI, New Delhi In 2008.
  • Reviewer for external projects in the area of biofuels for DBT, DST and ICAR New Delhi.

Current collaborative activities:

  • UAS (B) , Mandya
  • CRIDA, Hyderabad, TS;
  • Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, KS, USA;
  • Tamil Nadu Agricultiral Sciences, Coimbatore, TN;
  • ANGRAU, and PJTSAU, Hyderabad 

Recent most significant publications:

  • [Google Citation: https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=3EuxGpMAAAAJ&hl=en, and Research-gate citation:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ss_Rao4 ]
  • Sharma, R., Kocher, G.S., Rao, S.S. and Oberoi, H.S. 2019. Improved production of multi-component cellulolytic enzymes using sweet sorghum bagasse and thermophilic aspergillus terreus RWY through statistical process optimization. Waste and Biomass Valorization, pp.1-15. https: // doi.org / 10.1007 /s12649-019-00670-5. (JrnID: W003; IF :7.34) – Springer
  • Mishra JS, Rao SS, and Das IK. 2019. Effect of tillage and nutrient management on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) productivity in Alfisols of semi-arid tropical India. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 89: 1133–1139. (JrnID: I030; IF :5.46)
  • Mahadevappa, S. G., Sreenivas, G., Reddy, D. R., Madhavi, A. and Rao, S. S. (2018). Effect of Different Levels of Irrigation and Nitrogen on Growth and Yield of Bt Cotton. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci, 7: 4599-4604. (N010 NAAS IF 5.38).
  • Idris ASO, Pandey A, Rao, S. S. Sukumaran RK.2017. Cellulase production through solid-state tray fermentation, and its use for bioethanol from sorghum stover. Bioresource Technology 242: 265–271. [B107, NAAS IF: 11.65).
  • Mishra, J. S., Rakesh Kumar, and Rao, S.S. 2017. Performance of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) cultivars as a source of green fodder under varying levels of nitrogen in semi-arid tropical India. Sugar Tech. 19: 532-538. (N010 NAAS IF 6.83).

Other professional activities

  • Referee for reviewing important international and national journals such as Indian J Ag. Sciences, Agronomy Journal, Industrial crops & Products, etc.

Dr. S. S. Rao