About Department
The Department of Plant Pathology was established during the year 1965 to deliver the quality research, education and extension service in Plant Pathology with emphasis on the identification and management of disease threats in various agricultural and horticultural crops in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. The teaching for undergraduate programme was started in the year of 1968 and the teaching programme for post graduate studies was started during the year 1980. In 1989, the Ph.D. programme of Plant Pathology was started in the Department of Plant Pathology, AC & RI, Madurai.
With regard to the extension activities, training on the edible mushroom production and spawn production was commenced in 1990 and it is being continued to impart training to the farmers, farm women, unemployed rural youth and home makers. In 1991,th e production of biocontrol agents (Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride) was commenced and it is being supplied to the farmers.
Milestones
1968 – UG teaching was started
1980 – PG teaching was started.
Conducted a seminar on “Diseases on Plantation crops and manuring of Plantation crops”
1981 – Rice Tungro Virus Scheme – Plan Scheme was started.
1984 – Initiated IRRI – ADB – TNAU – Collaborative research on botanical pest (disease) control
1988 – Conducted a National Seminar on “Management of Crop diseases with plant products and bio-control agents”
1989 – Started Ph.D., Programme in Plant Pathology
Conducted IPS – TNAU sponsored symposium on “Innovative Techniques for the management of crop diseases
1990 – Commenced regular monthly training programme in mushroom production technology to farmers, farm women, unemployed rural youth and entrepreneurs.
1991 -Commenced commercial Agriculture mushroom culture course to B.Sc.(Ag)., programme. Commenced production of pre – immunized acid lime seedlings and supplied to farmers. Commenced production of bio-control agents (Trichoderma and Pseudomonas)
1995 – Conducted one day seminar on Oyster Mushroom
1997 – MDU 1 Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus djamor) was released
1999 – Scheme for developing High Yielding Oyster Mushroom Funded by Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology, Chennai-25 was implemented
2000 – A new strain of Pleurotus flabellatus was released as MDU 2 Oyster mushroom
2015 – 36th Annual Conference and National Symposium on “Challenges and Management Approaches for Crop Diseases of National Importance- Status and Prospects” jointly with Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology
Awards obtained by staff
| S. No. | Name of the Faculty & Designation | Award | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dr. M. Theradimani | Best UG teacher award | 2010 |
| 2. | Dr. M. Theradimani | Best teacher award | 2011 |
| 3. | Dr. M. Theradimani | Recognition Certificate “Evaluation of strobilurins and Triazoles Grapes, tomato, groundnut, chillies and rice” | 2012 |
| 4. | Dr. M. Theradimani | Recognition Certificate “Societal upliftment of women SC /ST cultivation of milky mushroom” | 2012 |
| 5. | Dr.N.Seenivasan | Raman Fellowship 2015-16 by University Grant Commission, New Delhi for Post Doctoral Research at USA. | 2016 |
| 6. | Dr. S. Harish | Best Poster Award | 2017 |
| 7. | Dr.N.Seenivasan | Best Researcher Award 2017 by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.
|
2017 |
| 8. | Dr.N.Seenivasan | All India Best Publication Award in Fruit Science
|
2018 |
| 9. | Dr.N.Seenivasan | Research Award 2016-18 by University Grant Commission, New Delhi.
|
2018 |
| 10. | Dr.N.Seenivasan | All India Best Publication Award in Fruit Science [Society for Advancement of Human and Nature] | 2019 |
| 11. | Dr. S. Harish | Best Researcher Award [Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore] | 2019 |
| 12. | Dr. S. Harish | “LASM Award” for the best AICRP centre for the year 2018-19 [TNAU Coimbatore] | 2019 |
| 13. | Dr. S. Harish | Recognition certificate for “Outstanding contribution in Reviewing” by ELSEVIER Journal “CROP PROTECTION” | 2017 |
Awards obtained by Students
| Sl. No. | Name of the Faculty & Designation | Award | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dhivya, M.
[2014611501] |
TNAU Merit scholarship | 2015 |
| 2. | B. Mallaiah
[12-613-005] |
Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Senior Research Fellowship | 2015 |
| 3. | A.P. Sridharan [13-513-107] |
Best Poster Award – Empowerment of women through mushroom cultivation and value addition of mushrooms | 2015 |
| 4. | B. Mallaiah
[12-613-005] |
Best oral presentation and research paper award – Organic synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its antifungal activity against Fusarium incarnatum associated with crossandra wilt | 2015 |
| 5. | B. Mallaiah
[12-613-005] |
Best Innovative idea/Post graduate Research work award for “Nano tools – the novel weapons in plant disease management | 2015 |
| 6. | B. Madhumitha [2015811503] | Student Research Fellowship – GOI- DST Scheme on“Understanding the molecular basis of resistance against YMV in mung bean through transcriptome profiling” | 2016 |
| 7. | Ms. M. Dhivya
[2014611501] |
“Dr. Mohan Sreenivasan Award”,-for the highest credit points in the major subjects of Plant Pathology in M.Sc.(Ag.). programme | 2016 |
| 8. | Ms. Sandhiya
[2015611505] |
“Dr. Mohan Sreenivasan Award”, for highest credit points in the major subjects of Plant Pathology in M.Sc.(Ag.). programme | 2017 |
| 9. | Ms. Sandhiya
[2015611505] |
MASCO 1982 Batch Award”- for best outgoing M.Sc.(Ag.) student with highest OGPA among all faculties | 2017 |
| 10. | Ms. Sandhiya
[2015611505] |
C. Subramanian Memorial Prize for securing highest OGPA in II M.Sc.(Ag.) | 2017 |
| 11. | Chandraprakash, S.
[2015611501] |
Awarded Professor Dr. N. Ramaiah award for the best outgoing students in Plant Pathology of the University | 2017 |
| 12. | Vidhya, V.
[2016611508] |
Awarded Professor Dr. N. Ramaiah award for the best outgoing students in Plant Pathology of the University | 2018 |
| 13. | N. Kavi Bharathi
[2017611503] |
“Dr. Mohan Sreenivasan Award”, for highest credit points in the major subjects of Plant Pathology in M.Sc.(Ag.). programme | 2019 |