GIRISH KUMAR

Senior Research Fellow (Entomology)

Eluru

Summary

Agricultural entomologist with nearly 3 years’ experience in oil palm plantation protection and management. Proven expertise in large-scale pest and disease surveillance, integrated pest management (IPM), and biological control. Skilled in coordinating field operations, monitoring plantation health, and implementing sustainable management practices to maximize yield and reduce input costs.

Overview

years of professional experience

Certification

Languages

Work History

Senior Research Fellow (SRF)

ICAR–Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR)

11.2022 - Current

Project: Early generation selection indices for high oil yield, disease and pest resistance. Marker-assisted selection of oil palm germplasm resistance to basal stem rot and development of tool for managing RSW.
Coordinated pest and disease management in experimental and commercial oil palm blocks.
Designed and implemented field strategies for controlling RSW and rhinoceros beetle infestations.
Evaluated fungicides against Ganoderma-induced basal stem rot.
Isolated, multiplied, and field-tested entomopathogenic fungi (R55).
Prepared leaflets, training modules, and farmer advisories.

Education

M.Sc. - Agricultural Entomology

Central Agricultural University, CPGS

Umiam, Meghalaya

B.Sc. - Agriculture

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

01.2016

Skills

Pest diagnostics & monitoring at plantation scale
Disease diagnostics & monitoring at plantation scale
Field application of biocontrol agents & fungicides

Worker supervision & training
Data analysis: R, SPSS, MS Excel
Documentation & Field Photography: Skilled in capturing high-quality macro and field-level photographs for research publications, training manuals, and technical compendiums

Certification

Oil Palm Production Technology — ICAR-IIOPR

Accomplishments

First report of Curvularia xishuangbannaensis in oil palm.
Accepted publication on Aspergillus sp. R55 for RSW control.
Developed farmer training materials for integrated pest management.
Coordinated pest and disease monitoring for large-scale plantations.

Publications

Biopesticide application may impair the pollination services and survival of foragers of Apis cerana in oilseed brassica.
Characterization of entomopathogenic fungi Aspergillus sp. R55 as a biocontrol agent against invasive RSW (Accepted).
Biological attributes of RSW (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus) on oil palm and other key hosts with implications in pest management (Submitted).
Compendium of lectures on pests of oil palm and their management.
Leaflets on integrated management of rhinoceros beetle and whitefly complex in oil palm plantations.
Evaluation of fungicides against Ganoderma-induced basal stem rot of oil palm.
Lakshmi MA, Arutselvan R, Indraja M, Challa GK, Ramachandrudu K (2025) — First identification of Curvularia xishuangbannaensis as a causal agent of leaf spot in oil palm nurseries and evaluation of fungicidal efficacy.

KEY COMPETENCIES

Plantation Health Monitoring
Integrated Pest & Disease Management
Field Operations Coordination
Farmer & Worker Training
Sustainable Management Practices
Data-driven Decision Making

Timeline