Kannan Gandhi

A successful scientist is insightful in improving organizational efficiency, resource utilization, and satisfaction scores. Ready to break down processes at every level and optimize approaches for short-term gains and long-term success. Creative problem-solver with fortitude and adaptability for challenging projects.

• Leena, Tripathi, Director, East African Hub, L.tripathi@cgiar.org, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nairobi, Kenya
• S., Uma, Principal Scientist and former director, umabinit@yahoo.co.in, ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
• Valentine, Otang Ntui, Valentine.ntui@um6p.ma, African Genome Center, University of Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben Guerir, Morocco

1. Served as a Biotechnology consultant Visiting Scientist with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)- CGIAR, Nairobi, Kenya from January 2022 to December 2024.

2. Recipient of Senior Research Fellow (SRF) in BRNS-BARC funded project entitled “Development of non-chimeral mutants with durable resistance to Fusarium wilt in Rasthali (AAB) through induced mutagenesis” from February 2017 to March 2020.

 3. Recipient of Junior Research Fellow (JRF) in BRNS-BARC funded project entitled “Development of non-chimeral mutants with durable resistance to Fusarium wilt in Rasthali (AAB) through induced mutagenesis” from February 2015 to February 2017.

4. Received Best Oral Presentation Award on “Development of Fusarium wilt race 1 tolerant mutant through mutation breeding” at an international conference on banana 2020 “Innovations in sustainable production and value chain management in Banana” Hotel Breeze, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu on February 23-25, 2020.

 5. Received “Best Poster Award on preliminary screening of induced mutants of cv.Rasthali using PCR based markers” in a global conference on banana-2010 “ meeting the challenges in Banana and plantain for emerging biotic and abiotic stresses” Hotel Sangam, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu on December 10-13, 2010.

 6. Recipient of 2nd prize in Medley in Scintilla 08, state-level intercollege meet held at Holy Cross College, Trichy on 1st August 2008.

 7. Recipient of 3rd prize in Collage in Scintilla 08, state-level intercollege meet held at Holy Cross College, Trichy on 1st August 2008.

 8. Completed Biosafety and Biosecurity Training held at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi from 7th to 9th November 2023., 9. Completed training on "Working Safely with Plants, Plant Pathogens and Genetically Modified Material held at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi from 10th & 11th May 2022.

 10. Involved and supported the successful conduct of the fifth Group discussion of ICAR – All India Coordinated Research Project (Fruits) from 15th to 18th February 2018 at ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana.

 11. Participated in Data Analysis in Vibrational Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry metabolic Profiling sponsored by DBT, New Delhi, and BBSRC-UK conducted by LADY DOAK COLLEGE Madurai and National Facility for Marine Cyanobacteria on 22nd & 23rd August 2017.

12. Assisted MusaNet Workshop on Musa Germplasm: Identification towards optimizing use in National Research Centre for Banana, Trichy from 6th to 12th December 2014.

 13. Participated in the National conference conducted by the Association for the Improvement in Production and Utilization of Banana (AIPUB) on Adaption to Climate Change for Sustained Production of Banana from 7th to 10th April 2012 at Jain Hills, Maharastra.

 14. Significantly contributed as a Training Associate towards the conduct of ICAR-sponsored course on in vitro techniques and application of molecular markers in banana and plantains held at ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana from 21st to 30th November 2009.

 15. Presented a paper in the 7th National level Biological Congress on “Biotechnology: Evolution and Revolutions” organized by Muthayammal College of Arts and Science, Rasipuram, Tamil Nadu on 4th & 5th January 2008.

 16. Participated International Conference on “Bioethics” held at the Department of Biotechnology, Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal, India from 24th to 26th September 2008.

 17. Undergone Implant training in the Amaravathi Co-Operative Sugar Mills, Krishnapuram from 21st June to 4th July 2008.

 18. Completed Inplant training in “Production of Ultra Refined Papain Powder and Evaluation of Microbial and Biochemical Parameters of finished Products and Raw Materials” at Senthil Papain and Food Products (P) Limited from 5th July to 19th July 2008.

• Research Articles (Published)
• 1. Saraswathi M S, Bathrinath M, Kannan G, Karthi C, Mahendran J, Sankar C, Durai P, Uma S (2024), Production of quality planting material in commercial banana cvs. Rasthali (Silk, AAB) and Neypoovan (Neypoovan, AB) through farmer-friendly macropropagation technique and their field evaluation, South African Journal of Botany, Volume 167, 2024, Pages 410-418, ISSN 0254-6299, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2024.02.047.
• 2. Kannan G, Saraswathi MS, Thangavelu R, Kumar PS, Bathrinath M, Uma S, Backiyarani S, Chandrasekar A, Ganapathi TR. Development of fusarium wilt-resistant mutants of Musa spp. Cv.Rasthali (AAB, Silk subgroup) and comparative proteomic analysis along with its wild type. Planta. 2022 Mar 5;255(4):80. doi: 10.1007/s00425-022-03860-z. PMID: 35249170.
• 3. N. Kavitha, M.S.Saraswathi, G. Kannan, M. Bathrinath, S. Backiyarani, S.Uma (2021). Development of direct regeneration protocol for mass multiplication of Musa spp. Variety Udhayam (Pisang Awak, ABB) using different explants, Scientia Horticulturae, Volume 290, 110506, ISSN 0304-4238.
• 4. Thangavelu, R., Saraswathi, M.S., Uma, S., Loganathan, M., Backiyarani, S., Durai, P., Raj, E.E., Marimuthu, N., Kannan, G. and Swennen, R (2021). Identification of sources resistant to a virulent Fusarium wilt strain (VCG 0124) infecting Cavendish bananas. Scientific Reports, 11(1), pp.1-14. ISSN 2045-2322.
• 5. N. Kavitha, M.S. Saraswathi
• K.P. Sajith, M. Bathrinath, G. Kannan, S. Backiyarani and S.Uma (2019). Development of direct regeneration protocol for mass multiplication of banana cv. Rasthali (AAB, Silk) using Immature floral hands as explants, Acta Horticulturae 13 (2020): 105-113. ISSN No. 0567-7572.
• 6. Marimuthu, Kumaravel, Uma Subbaraya, Backiyarani Suthanthiram, Saraswathi Marimuthu Somasundaram, Kannan Gandhi, and Chandrasekar Arumugam(2019). "Differential Proteomic Analysis of Germinating and Non-germinating Somatic Embryo of Banana cv. Grand Naine (AAA)." International Journal of Innovative Horticulture 8, no. 2: 158-166. ISSN No. 2582-2527.
• 7. Saraswathi MS, Kannan G, Uma S, Thangavelu R, Backiyarani S (2016). Improvement of banana cv.Rasthali (Silk, AAB) against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (VCG 0124/5) through induced mutagenesis: Determination of LD50 specific to mutagen, explants, toxins, and in vitro and in vivo screening for Fusarium wilt resistance. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 54(5):345-53. PMID: 27319054, co- first author.
• 8. Saraswathi, M.S., Uma, S., Kannan, G., Selvasumathi, M., Mustaffa, M.M. and Backiyarani, S. (2016). Cost-effective tissue culture media for large-scale propagation of three commercial banana (Musa spp.) varieties. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, 91(1), pp.23-29. ISSN No. 1462-0316.
• 9. Saraswathi, M.S, Praveena S, Uma S, Thangavelu R, Kannan G, Backiyarani S, Arivazhagan, T. (2014). Development of an efficient micropropagation technique for Musa cv. Udhayam (ABB), Indian Journal of Horticulture, 71(4):452-457. ISSN No. 0972-8538.
• Book chapters published:
• 1. Jaidra Nath Tripathi
• Kannan Gandhi and Leena Tripathi (2024). In vitro Propagation of Yams aMedicinal Plant, In Micropropagation of Medicinal Plants. Bentham Science volume 1, pp 199-210.
• 2. Saraswathi MS, Kannan G, Uma S, Kalaiponman K (2020). Improvement in banana through mutation breeding: status and prospect. Banana Plantains: Lead-Edge Res Dev 12 (PDF) Improvement in Fruit Crop Plants Through Mutation Breeding for Sustainable Development.
• Research Articles (Incommunication)
• 1. Marimuthu Somasundaram Saraswathi; Chinnadurai Karthi; Gandhi Kannan; Murugesan Bathrinath; Murugesan Umabharathi; Jayakumar Mahendran; Subbaraya Uma. Impact of energy-saving LED illumination on growth, physiological, and biochemical parameters of Musa spp. Cv. Red Banana regenerated in vitro using different explants.
• 2. Jaidra N. Tripathi, Kannan Gandhi, Leena Tripathi. Biotechnological advances in Catharanthus roseus.
• Abstracts (Published)
• 1. Saraswathi Marimuthu Somasundaram
• Kannan Gandhi, Thangavelu Raman, Subesh Kumar Parasuram, Bathrinath Murugesan, Uma Subbaraya, Backiyarani Suthanthiram, Chandrasekar Arumugam and Ganapathy Thumballi . Improvement of Silk group of bananas for Fusarium wilt resistance (Foc race 1) through mutation breeding. In: ASPECTS OF CURRENT RESEARCH TO COMBAT Fusarium wilt symposium FP3 Resilient Crops - Cluster BA3.3 Fungal and Bacterial Wilts 16-17 December 2020 (
• Co-first author).
• 2. Saraswathi M.S, Kannan G., Thangavelu R., Ganapathi T.R., Bathrinath M, S.Sathish Backiyarani S. and Uma S. Identification of a suitable explant and potential mutagen for the development of fusarium wilt resistance in Musa spp. Cv. Rasthali (AAB, Silk). In: International E-Conference on “Advances and Future Outlook in Biotechnology and Crop Improvement for Sustainable Productivity” 24 to 27th November 2020.
• 3. G.Kannan, M.S.Saraswathi, R.Thangavelu, Ganapathi T.R., Bathrinath M, S.Backiyarani and S.Uma. Proteome analysis of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense race1(VCG0124) challenged the mutant and wild type of cv. Rasthali (AAB, Silk). In: International conference on Banana-2020: Innovations in sustainable production and value chain management in Banana (23-25 February 2020), Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
• 4. Saraswathi, M.S, Kannan, G., Thangavelu, R., Ganapathi, T.R., Bathrinath, M, S.Sathish, Backiyarani, S. and Uma, S. Development of Fusarium wilt race 1 tolerant mutants through mutation breeding. In: International conference on Banana-2020: Innovations in sustainable production and value chain management in Banana (23-25 February 2020), Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
• 5. M.S.Saraswathi, S.Uma, G.Kannan, M.Bathrinath, C.Karthi, and J.Mahendran. Studies on the effect of LEDs of different wavelengths on micropropagation of banana (Musa spp.). In: International Conference on Banana -2020: Innovations in sustainable production and value chain management in Banana (23-25 February 2020), Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
• 6. N. Kavitha, M.S.Saraswathi, M.Bathrinath, G.Kannan, S.Backiyarani, and S.Uma. Development of direct regeneration protocol for cv.Udhayam (Pisang Awak, ABB) using various explants. In: International Conference on Banana -2020: Innovations in sustainable production and value chain management in Banana (23-25 February 2020), Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
• 7. M.S.Saraswathi
• G.Kannan, R.Thangavelu, S.Uma and T.R.Ganapathi. Gamma irradiation - a potential tool for the creation of variability and selection of mutants with Fusarium wilt resistance in banana cv. Rasthali (AAB, Silk). International Pro Musa Symposium: Growing and Marketing Banana under Subtropical Conditions (12-16 August 2018), Istanbul, Turkey.
• 8. Kannan Gandhi, Saraswathi Somasundaram Marimuthu, Thangavelu Raman and Uma Subbaraya. Embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) - a potential explant for the development of non-chimeral mutants with Fusarium wilt resistance in banana cv. Rasthali (AAB, Silk) International Symposium on Horticulture: Priorities & Emerging Trends. 5-8 Sep 2017, IIHR, Bengaluru, India.
• 9. Kavitha Natesan, Saraswathi Somasundaram Marimuthu, Bathrinath Murugesan, Kannan Gandhi, Backiyarani Suthanthiram and Uma Subbaraya. Development of direct regeneration protocol for mass multiplication of banana cv. Udhayam uses immature floral hands as explants. International Symposium on Horticulture: Priorities & Emerging Trends. 5-8 Sep 2017, IIHR, Bengaluru, India.
• 10. Saraswathi, M.S., Bathrinath, M., Durai, P., Kavitha, N., Kannan, G and Uma, S. 2017. Studies on the effect of steaming on micropropagation of banana (Musa spp.) varieties. Ibid. Pp. 200.
• 11. M.S.Saraswathi, R.Thangavelu, G.Kannan, M.Bathrinath, S.Sathish, S.Backiyarani and S.Uma. Induced mutagenesis as a tool for the development of fusarium wilt resistance in banana (Musa spp.). In: Indian Phytopathological Society on ‘Cutting edge approaches for sustainable plant disease management and ensuring farmers' profit’ at NRCB, Tiruchirappalli during 21-23 December 2018.
• 12. Saraswathi, M.S., Kannan, G., Selvasumathi, M., Uma, S., Mustaffa, M.M.and Backiyarani, S. 2014. Cost-effective tissue culture protocols for mass multiplication of commercial banana varieties (Musa spp.) In: Knowledge sharing workshop on tropical fruits with the theme value chain management and farm profitability enhancement, Coimbatore, 1-2, March.
• 13. Saraswathi, M.S., Thangavelu, R., Uma, S., Backiyarani, S., Kannan, G. and Mustaffa, M.M (2012) In Vitro and in vivo screening for the identification of Fusarium wilt-resistant mutants of cv.Rasthali (Silk-AAB). International symposium on bananas held on 23-26th January at Chiang Mai, Thailand (Abs.). pp. 21.
• 14. Saraswathi, M. S., Thangavelu, R., Uma, S., Kannan, G., and Sumathi, S. 2012. Role of native VAM and its helper bacteria on the acclimatization of tissue cultured banana variety Grand Naine. In: Fifth Indian Horticulture Congress on Horticulture for Food and Environment, 6-9, November. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Pp.
• 15. Saraswathi, M.S., Uma, S., Kannan, G., Yogachandru, R., Saranya, M., Punniyakotti, E., Backiyarani, S and Mustaffa, M. M. 2012. Climate change is not an inhibition to the production of quality planting material for the banana variety Udhayam (Pisang Awak– ABB). In: Nat. Conf. on Adaption to Climate Change for Sustained Production of Banana, 7-10 April. Jalgaon, Maharashtra. pp. 114.
• 16. Saraswathi, M. S., Thangavelu, R., Uma, S., Backiyarani, S., Kannan, G. and Mustaffa, M. M. 2011. In vitro and in vivo screening for the identification of Fusarium wilt-resistant mutants of cv. Rasthali (Silk – AAB). In: Program and Abstracts of the Royal Flora International Symposium on Bananas held between 23-26, January 2012 at Chiang Mai, Thailand. pp. 21.
• 17. Saraswathi, M.S., Uma, S., Backiyarani, S., Thangavelu, R., Kannan, G. and Punniyakotti, E. 2011. Determination of the LD50 of mutagens and evaluation of the mutants against Fusarium wilt (Race 1). In: Program and Abstracts of the ISHS/Pro Musa symposium on Banana and plantains: Towards sustainable global production and improved uses held at Bahia Othon Palace Hotel, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, 10-14th October 2011. pp.158.
• 18. Saraswathi, M.S., Kannan, G., Selvasumathi, M., Uma, S., Mustaffa, M.M., and Backiyarani, S. 2014. Cost-effective tissue culture protocols for mass multiplication of commercial banana varieties (Musa spp.) In: Knowledge sharing workshop on tropical fruits with the time value chain management and farm profitability enhancement, Coimbatore, 1-2, March.
• 19. M.S.Saraswathi, S.Uma, G.Kannan, A.Azeera, and S.Durairaja. Improvement of banana through induced mutagenesis: Determination of the LD50 of physical and chemical mutagens and bioassay techniques. In: global conference on the meeting the challenges in banana and plantain for emerging biotic and abiotic stresses (M.M.Mustaffa, K.N. Shiva, B.Padmanaban and M.Mayilvaganan, eds.) pp: 16 on 10-13 December 2010 by AIPUB and NRCB, Trichy.
• 20. M.S.Saraswathi, S.Uma, S.Backiyarani, E.Punniyakotti and G.Kannan. Preliminary screening of induced mutants of cv.Rasthali using PCR-based markers. In: global conference on the meeting the challenges in banana and plantain for emerging biotic and abiotic stresses (M.M.Mustaffa, K.N. Shiva, B.Padmanaban and M.Mayilvaganan, eds.) pp: 16 on 10-13 December 2010 by AIPUB and NRCB, Trichy.
• 21. Saraswathi, M.S., Praveena, S., Uma, S., Thangavelu, R., Kannan, G. and Arivazhagan, T. 2010. Improved in vitro multiplication protocol for the NRCB released variety "Udhayam". In: Global Conference on Banana held at Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India during 10-13, December 2010. pp. 49.