Dr. M.K.Kalarani, Ph.D.,
Director
Dr. M.K. Kalarani, Director, Crop Management, TNAU, Coimbatore, is a Crop Physiologist specialized in abiotic stress physiology. She is trained on remediating heavy metal pollution in soil from CERAR, University of South Australia.
She has developed and successfully commercialized “Castor PGR consortia” in the name of “Castor Gold” for improving pistillate flower production efficiency under abiotic stress condition. Involved in the release of Cassava Tonic and commercialized it in the name of “Cassava Booster” for improving tuber yield, starch content and reduced CMD incidence.
She has contributed in the development and release of “Castor Perennial Variety YTP1” and “Cassava Variety YTP2”. Screened cassava germplasm for salt water tolerance and identified a highly tolerant genotype with salt exclusion mechanism. Screened post-harvest deterioration tolerant cassava genotypes CI 850 and YTP 1. Screened drought cum heat stress tolerant genotypes of foxtail (TNAU159 &GS 77) and barnyard millet (ESLG94 & ESD83).
She has formulated drought mitigation technology in rainfed finger millet, by seed hardening with KCl (1%) + CaCl2 (1%). In sunflower genotypes, morpho-physiological characters and the anti-oxidative system under water stress was investigated. The reproductive responses of groundnut under pre and post flowering drought was studied. Investigated the role of melatonin in alleviating abiotic stresses viz., drought in greengram, cadmium toxicity in tomato and salt stress in cassava.
She has handled ten externally funded schemes worth Rs.183.87 lakhs from DBT, DSIR, BRNS, NABARD, Indo Sri lanka Foundation (ISLF), SPGS, Syngenta and provided 10 Research fellowship to PhD/MSc/BSc (Agri) graduates. Coconut productivity and value- added technological breakthrough was initiated to 75 farm women of Kadayampatti block of Salem District, TN under DBT scheme. As a part of DSIR project, the under privileged, 275 tribals of Kalrayan hills were completely exposed on apiculture technologies and made them to become self-employed. She has created 100 master trainers to impart trainings on critical technologies in apiculture and coconut. So far, completed 17 University Research Projects and executing product testing schemes worth Rs.40 lakhs from various MNCs.
Offered more than 20 courses to UG/PG/Ph.D students and mentored 5 Ph.D and more than 6 M.Sc students research work on abiotic stress physiology. Designed new PG syllabus and ARS syllabus pertaining to Plant Physiology.
Organized several Inter Institutional HRD Programmes Research-Extension-Farmers Interface programmes, farmers exposure visits, farmers’ tour and formed many farmers Interaction group. Developed teaching aids viz., short films and videos etc for popularization of TNAU coconut tonic root feeding technology. Disseminated path breaking crop physiological technologies through several AIR/TV programmes. Created awareness among the Tamil Nadu farmers and extension officials about the role of nutrients in crop productivity with special emphasis on identification of nutrient deficiencies and physiological disorders and correction measures. Served as an e-velanmai expert and task force scientist for attending farmers’ queries and disseminating the technologies. Involved in distribution of VCS products at KVKs and TCRS, Yethapur and generated revenue of around Rs. 40 lakhs. Distributed crop boosters to farmers to improve their farm income and generated around Rs.4 crores at Department of Crop Physiology, TNAU during 2021-22.
To her credit she has published more than 75 research papers, 20 books and 30 book chapters related to abiotic stresses in various crops. She has written 11 popular articles, 20 booklets and 14 technical bulletins in local language for the benefit of farming community. She is the recipient of Prof Sakaram award (1992), Best Extension worker award from TNAU (2007), Best Scientist award (2012) from NESA, achiever award (2021) from SADHNA and Doubling Farmers Income –Scientist Award from TNAU (2021) for her teaching, research and extension accomplishments.