Research Focus
Started career in TNAU on 01.02.1995, initially interested in exploring the mechanism(s) of host plant resistance in rice specifically to planthoppers. In due course the focus changed towards the studies on interaction among resistant rice genotypes and parasitoids. A decade later, interest provoked to study the role of rice plant volatiles on the orientation of leaf folder larval parasitoids. Currently, the chemically mediated tritrophic interactions in Paddy with special reference to herbivore induced plant volatiles and synthetic HIPVs are investigated. With the financial support of DBT, exploration of chemically mediated tritrophic interactions as induced by insect herbivory in rice ecosystem for biointensive insect pest management was taken up with the Post-Doctoral scholars. The saturated hydrocarbons and phenolic compounds, present in healthy and herbivore damaged leaves were investigated. In addition, studies on the efficacy of synthetic jasmonates and salicylates on parasitism of planthoppers in rice ecosystem were also carried over.
Teaching Focus
Courses on Advanced Host Plant Resistance, Insect Nutrition and Host Plant Resistance and Insect Behavioural Ecology were dealt for Ph.D. programme. For Postgraduate students’ courses viz., Insect Morphology, Insect Ecology, Principles of Pest Management, Biological Control of Crop Pests and Weeds, Techniques in Plant Protection and Principles of Host Plant Resistance were handled. As undergraduate teacher, handled the courses entitled, Fundamentals of Entomology, Applied Entomology, Economic Entomology, Pests of field crops and their Management, Pests of Horticultural Crops and their Management, Sericulture Technologies, Commercial Sericulture and Techniques of silkworm Cocoon and Egg Production.
Outreach and Extension Focus
- For the upliftment of the rice growers by adoption of IPDM technologies “Evaluation of Rice IPDM in the farmers holding at Madurai East block” was taken up, wherein Field days were organized and Integrated Rodent Management was demonstrated. Its impact in terms of adoption level, attitude and constraints in the implementation of Rice Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) Module were also looked upon.
- A 3-day programme on “Promoting Beekeeping as self-help enterprise to strengthen the livelihoods of rural population in addition to increasing the crop productivity” was executed with the sponsorship by NABARD under Capacity Building for Adoption of Technology (CAT).
EXTERNAL FUNDED SCHEMES OPERATED
| Sl.No. | Name of the scheme | Sponsor | Duration | Budget |
| 1. | Vocational Training – “Exploration of Insect Biodiversity and Bioresources for Sustainable Crop Productivity” | NBDB –DBT | 5th May, 2006 to 26rd May, 2006 |
|
| 2. | Identification, evaluation and formulation of medicinal plants / products as potential grain protectant against stored product insect pests of cereals and pulses. | National Medicinal Plants Board, New Delhi | Three years (November 2006 – March 2009). | Rs. 7.5 lakhs |
| 3. | Upliftment of the rice growers by adoption of IPDM technologies in Madurai East Block. | DST – SEED Division | Two years June 2011 – May 2013 |
Rs. 15.99 lakhs |
| 4. | Exploration of chemically mediated tritrophic interactions as induced by insect herbivory in rice ecosystem for biointensive insect pest management. | DBT | Jan.2014 – Dec. 2016 | Rs. 25.45 lakhs |
| 5. | “Promoting beekeeping as self-help enterprise to strengthen the livelihoods of rural population in addition to increasing the crop productivity” | NABARD – Capacity building for Adoption of Technology (CAT) | 3-day programme | Rs. 57,500/-. |
SELECTED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
Rathika M. and R. Nalini. 2011. Role of rice plant volatiles on the orientation of leaf folder larval parasitoids, Trichomma cnaphalocrocis (Uchida) (Ichneumonidae: Hymenoptera) and Cotesia angustibasis (Gahan) (Braconidae: Hymenoptera). Oryza, 48 (3): 250 – 254.
Nalini, R., A.Vasanthi, K.Saritha, M.Shanthi, I.Yesuraja and R.K.Murali Baskaran. 2013. Evaluation of Rice IPDM in the farmers holding at Madurai. Ann. Pl. Protec. Sci., 21 (1): 176-223.
Nalini, R. and R.K. Murali Baskaran. 2013. Screening of rice genotypes for resistance to yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker). Madras Agric. J., 100 (1-3): 747-750.
Pavviya, A., R. Nalini, M. Kalyanasundaram, K. Bhuvaneswari, M. Paramasivam, M. Murugan and M.L. Mini. 2015. GC-MS analysis for saturated hydrocarbons from rice varieties damaged by stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker). Oryza, 52 (3): 196-200.
Nalini, R., M. Vasanthi and K. Saritha. 2015 Adoption level, attitude and constraints in the implementation of Rice Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) Module. Oryza, 52 (4): 318-322.
Pavviya, A. and R.Nalini. 2017 Field experiment on the assessment of natural enemy population in different rice varieties under natural and protected conditions. Vegetos 30:1. doi:10.4172/2229-4473.1000224.
Jayasimha, G.T., R. Rachana and R.Nalini. 2017. Studies on the efficacy of synthetic jasmonates and salicylates on parasitism of brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stal.) by Anagrus sp. Oryza, 54(1): 116-120.
Nishintha, N., K. Premalatha, C. Chinniah, S.Vellaikumar, R.Nalini and M.Shanthi. 2019. Volatile profile of yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker) damaged rice plants. International Journal of Chemical Studies, 7 (3): 2636-2638.
Nalini, R. and S. Porpavai. 2019. Enhancing floral and habitat diversity for augmenting natural enemies in rice ecosystem of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. Oryza, 56 (3): 247-255.
Nalini, R and S.Porpavai. 2019. A bio-intensive insect pest management module for samba organic rice cultivation in new Cauvery delta zone. Journal of Rice Research, 12 (2): 59-64.
Niranjanadevi, J., R. Nalini, C. Vanniarajan and J. Ramalingam. 2020. An overview on the bionomics, host plant resistance, and molecular perspectives of Sesamia inferens Walker in cereals and millets. Agronomy, 10, 1705; doi:10.3390/agronomy10111705.
