Shakuntala Mallanna Hosamani
Bangalore
Summary
Passionate plant breeder aiming to leverage my expertise in plant genetics and breeding to create superior hybrids that drive agricultural sustainability and customer satisfaction. Seeking a position with an organization wherein I can apply my skills in trait improvement, hybrid development and data-driven breeding strategies to contribute for impactful research and achieve organizational goals.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Breeder-Tomato
East-West seed India Private Limited
Bangalore
10.2014 - Current
- Led Flat Round tomato breeding program to enhance trait development and variety selection.
- Screened and advanced segregating tomato populations for biotic stress tolerances, including viral, fungal, and bacterial diseases.
- Introgressed novel traits (ToLCV, EB, LB and BS) into parental lines through backcross breeding.
- Optimized speed breeding protocol to enable three generations per year, accommodating high-density plant populations and accelerating generation advancement.
- Planning crossing blocks for parental line development (L x L, TC, and DC) in tomato breeding.
- Developed testcrosses and evaluated their combining ability to identify superior parents based on GCA effects.
- Executed crop breeding strategy and monitored product and trait delivery plans to ensure alignment with breeding goals.
- Designing and executing crossing plans for hybrid trial development, aligned with product profiles and disease resistant gene combinations.
- Assessing hybrids for disease tolerance (ToLCV and foliar diseases), yield and various horticultural traits at both non-hotspot and hotspot locations.
- Performed statistical analysis and interpretation of hybrid trial results to support data-driven hybrid evaluation and selection.
- Seed multiplication for hybrids that have been selected at the HOT-2 stage of testing.
- Evaluation of Multi-Location Testing (MLT) in collaboration with the operation team across various seasons and regions in India.
- Compilation of data and statistical analysis of MLT trials in phenome, followed by preparation and presentation of the final advancement proposal to product advancement stakeholders.
- Coordinated for FS and SS seed increase - ensuring required purity.
- Experienced in DUS trial management, trait evaluation, data recording and documentation.
- Working with the Regulatory team for Varietal registration in the state government.
- Part of the techno commercial team in defining the market requirements (MTS/PMCs) and setting up the breeding goals.
- Supported trialing of square round segment hybrid and breeding trials at Bangalore.
- Developed mapping populations using the Single Seed Descent (SSD) method, phenotyping and trait validation for ToSPO and Fruit Color to support prebreeder for molecular marker development.
- Part of the team responsible for identifying QTLs for ToSPO resistance and Dark red fruit color.
- Collaborated with the pathology for Bacterial spot race identification.
- Collaborated with the pathology for Bacterial wilt artificial seedling screening.
Education
M Sc. - Agri.
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, UAS
Dharwad01-2014
B.Sc. - Agri.
University of Agriculture Sciences
Dharwad01-2012
Skills
- Field trial management
- Hybrid evaluation strategies
- Market-driven breeding strategies
- Breeding project management
- Data-driven collaboration
- Phenome Database proficiency
- STAR and PBTools expertise
- Completed Fundamental course on R from basic to advanced data analysis conducted by Cropinfo Tech
- Proficient in Microsoft Office: Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Skilled in Google Workspace applications including Google Sheets, Google Docs, and Google Slides
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 1990-07-20
- Marital Status: Married
Accomplishments
- Part of 04 EWS Tomato Commercial hybrids (Shreya, Ria, EW 825 and EW 815) launched in the flat round segment for the rainy season in 2020.
- Part of new EWS Tomato Commercial hybrid Adrith launched for Tamil Nadu in 2024.
- Developed ToLCV and Early blight tolerant tomato hybrids for North India, currently undergoing first look evaluation in the 2026 rainy season.
Seminars and Trainings:
- Attended webinar on ‘Breeding Tomatoes for Processing: History & Potential hosted by ATPBR in the month of March 2023.
- Been part of delegation at the National Conference on Tomato, themed ‘Tomato : Problems, perspectives, and Plant breeding Solutions at GKV, Bangalore, organized by ATPBR and UHS Bagalkot in the month of November 2023.
- Part of Advanced Plant Breeding training conducted by East West Seeds from 20023-2025, Recognized overall top 3 best performer.
Research Thesis:
Title: “Combining ability analysis of new restorers developed for Alternaria blight resistance in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)”
Timeline
Breeder-Tomato
East-West seed India Private Limited
10.2014 - Current
M Sc. - Agri.
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, UAS
B.Sc. - Agri.
University of Agriculture Sciences