Name: Dr. Manjunatha Gowda Thondihalu

Designation: Scientist Sr. Scale (Nematology)

Email ID: goudru9@gmail.com

Mobile No.: 93809 84061

Education: Ph.D. (Nematology)

Field of Specialization: Root-knot nematode management in vegetable crops.

Professional experience:

Research interests: Plant nematology, biological control of root-knot nematodes, use of entomopathogenic nematodes for insect-pest management, and screening of vegetable crops for resistance against root-knot nematode.

• Identified antimicrobial peptide genes producing two Bacillus isolates, Bacillus subtilis CRB7 (MH108169) and B. marisflavi CRB2 (MH109283), against Meloidogyne incognita and evaluated their bioefficacy in tomato and okra under pot and field conditions.
• Developed a talc-based bioformulation of Bacillus subtilis CRB7 and demonstrated its effective application (nursery drench + soil drenching + soil application) for management of root-knot nematode infestation in tomato under protected cultivation and okra under open field conditions.
• Isolated, identified and characterized an indigenous entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema siamkayai IIVR JNC01 (MH208855), from Varanasi region and evaluated its bioefficacy on major vegetable insect pests.
• Provided first insight into the biocontrol potential of entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema carpocapsae NBAII EN04 and Heterorhabditis indica NBAII Hi01 against third instar and pre-pupal stages of eggplant ash weevil (Myllocerus subfasciatus Guérin).
• Identified Solanum torvum (wild relative of brinjal) as a promising resistant rootstock against M. incognita and evaluated rootstock compatibility and resistance in graft combinations with promising tomato cultivars.
• Co-developed a two-step simple screening method for nematode resistance in tomato germplasm.
• Demonstrated and published the concept of microbiome transplant for effective management of root-knot nematode infectivity in tomato under protected cultivation.
• Characterized and evaluated native rhizobacteria isolated from rhizosphere of different vegetable crops for their role in nematode management.
• Associated in development of interspecific hybrids in tomato through embryo rescue for introgression of heat-stable nematode resistance (Mi-9 gene) from Solanum arcanum.

• Gowda, M.T., Reddy, Y.S., Patil, J., Krishna, H., Sellaperumal, C., Manjunath, M., Pandey, K.K. and Singh, A.N. (2024). Biocontrol potential of Bacillus subtilis CRB7 for the management of root-knot nematode in tomato under protected cultivation. Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection 57(11–12):800822. https://doi.org/10.1080/03235408.2024.2414474.
• Gowda, M.T., Prasanna, R., Rao, U., Somvanshi, V.S., Singh, P.K., Singh, A.K. and Chawla, G. (2023). Microbiome transplant can effectively manage root-knot nematode infectivity in tomato. Applied Soil Ecology 190:105020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2023.105020.
• Gowda, M.T., Prasanna, R., Kundu, A., Rana, V.S., Rao, U. and Chawla, G. (2023). Differential effects of rhizobacteria from uninfected and infected tomato on Meloidogyne incognita under protected cultivation. Journal of Basic Microbiology 63(6):604–621. https://doi.org/10.1002/jobm.202200695.
• Gowda, M.T., Prasanna, R., Kundu, A., Rana, V.S. and Chawla, G. (2023). Characterization and evaluation of native rhizobacteria isolated from Meloidogyne incognita-infected tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 93(2):175–180. https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v93i2.131227.
• Gowda, M.T., Bharat Raj Meena, Nagendran, K., Manjunatha, M., Sellaperumal, C., A.B. Rai, Arpita Singh, C. Manimurugan, Jagadeesh Patil, K.K. Pandey and J. Singh (2022). Antimicrobial peptides producing native Bacillus spp. for the management of root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita infecting okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). Biological Control 171:104951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2022.104951.
• Gowda, M.T., Jagadeesh Patil, Vijayakumar, R., Jaydeep Halder, Veereshkumar, Pratap A. Divekar, A.B. Rai and J. Singh (2020). Isolation, identification and biocontrol potential of entomopathogenic nematodes occurring in Purvanchal and Bundelkhand regions of Uttar Pradesh, India. Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control 30:95. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-020-00290-5.
• Gowda, M.T., Jagadeesh Patil, Mansheppa Devindrappa, Rangasamy Vijayakumar and Verghese Abraham (2016). Entomopathogenic nematodes: a potential biocontrol agent against eggplant ash weevil Myllocerus subfasciatus Guérin (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Nematology 18:743–750. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685411-00002989.
• Yerasu, S.R., Gowda, M.T., Krishna, R., Prasanna, H.C., Tiwari, J.K., Rai, N. and Behera, T.K. (2023). Development of interspecific hybrids through embryo rescue for heat-stable nematode resistance (Mi-9 gene) from Solanum arcanum in tomato. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) 154(3):703–711. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-023-02544-0.
• Patil, J., Linga, V., Mhatre, P.H., Gowda, M.T., Rangasamy, V. and Půža, V. (2023). Steinernema indicum n. sp., a new entomopathogenic nematode (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) from India. Nematology 25(7):815–833. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685411-bja10258.
• Soni, S., Patil, J., Linga, V., Mhatre, P.H., Gowda, M.T., Ganguli, J. and Půža, V. (2023). Steinernema shori n. sp., a new entomopathogenic nematode (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) from India. Journal of Helminthology 97:e72, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X23000536.

• University of Agricultural Sciences Gold Medal for securing 1^st rank in B.Sc. (Agriculture), University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.
• Gold medals for securing highest marks in Horticulture, Agricultural Entomology and Plant Pathology in B.Sc. (Agriculture), University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.
• Best oral presentation award in the 1^st International Conference on Biological Control Approaches and Applications at Bengaluru, organized by ICAR–NBAIR, Bengaluru, during 27–29 September 2018.
• Best oral presentation award in National Symposium on Plant Health Management at Navsari Agricultural University, Bharuch (Gujarat), India during 2–4 November 2020.
• “Young Agricultural Scientist Award” conferred to Dr. Manjunatha Gowda Thondihalu by Dr. Vasanthraj David Foundation, Chennai, on 30 September 2023.