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Academic profile

M.Sc. (Botany), Ph. D (Botany - Plant Biotechnology)

Research Experience / Expertise

28 years of research experience in the area of Plant Science, Spices and Medicinal Plants Biotechnology. 

Worked on various basic as well as applied aspects of plant sciences. Worked on sterility and fertility of Asclepiads, pollen physiology and pollen-stigma interaction in some members of Asclepiadaceae and Labiatae, in vitro conservation of spices germplasm, production of somaclones and somatic hybrids of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton.) for high yield and resistance to diseases, etc. The area of doctoral research was developing In Vitro Technology for Genetic Conservation of Some Genera of Zingiberaceae.

Areas of research interest are Plant Genetic Resources Conservation, Plant Tissue Culture, In vitro conservation, Biochemical (Isozyme) and molecular markers. Our Team is presently engaged in research related to propagation, cultivation and improvement of medicinal plants. Characterization of medicinal plants and authentication of raw materials / medicinal plants using molecular markers is another area of research

 

Awards/Honours/ Recognition

National Level

Received the ICAR Team Research Award 1994 - 1996 for multidisciplinary research and outstanding contribution in the field of Horticultural Science -Spices Biotechnology Jawaharlal Nehru Award for PG Agricultural Research 2004 in the field of Crop improvement - Germplasm Conservation, from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

State Level

Received the Young Scientist Award for the year 1995 from the State Committee on Science, Technology and Environment at theSeventh Kerala Science Congress. Best Poster Award: Life Sciences, 18th Kerala Science Congress (Co-Author) Research Supervision Ph. D. ongoing   : 3

Selected Publications

• Archana C. P., Deepu Vijayan, Geetha S. P. And Indira Balchandran. (2013). RAPD assessment for identification of clonal fidelity of microrhizome induced plantlets of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) cultivars. International Food Research Journal 20 (6): 3325-3328.
• Vijayan D, Archana CP, Geetha SP and Indira Balachandran (2013) Developing RAPD markers for identification of three source plants of Ayurvedic raw drug ‘Patha’. Medicinal Plants - International Journal of Phytomedicines and Related Industries 5(1): 55–58.
• Vijayan, D., Archana C. P., Geetha S. P. and Indira Balchandran. (2013). Molecular authentication of Cissampelos pareira L. var. hirsuta (Buch.-Ham. ex DC.) Forman, the genuine source plant of ayurvedic raw drug ‘Patha’, and its other source plants by ISSR markers. 3 Biotech. 4:559–562.
• Vijayan D, Archana CP, Geetha SP and Indira Balachandran. (2013). Developing RAPD markers for identification of three source plants of Ayurvedic raw drug ‘Patha’. Medicinal Plants - International Journal of Phytomedicines and Related Industries 5(1): 55–58.
• Raghu AV, Unnikrishnan KP, Geetha SP, Gerald Martin and Indira Balachandran (2011). Plant regeneration and production of embelin from organogenic and embryogenic callus cultures of Embelia ribes Burm. f.—a vulnerable medicinal plant. In Vitro Cell. Develop. Biol.-Plant 47: 506–515.
• Geetha, SP., Raghu, AV., Gerald Martin, Satheesh George and Indira Balachandran. (2009). In vitro propagation of two tuberous medicinal plants: Holostemma ada-kodien and Ipomoea mauritiana. pp. 81–92. In Jain, SM. and Saxena, KP. (Eds.) Methods in Molecular Biology – Protocols for In Vitro Cultures and Secondary Metabolite Anlysis of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants. Humana Press (Springer Science), New York.
• Geetha SP and Indira Balachandran (2009) Drumstick Tree – A multi purpose miracle tree. LIMK Natural Products Digest 5(1): 10–11.
• Geetha SP., Gerald Martin, Raghu AV., Lyric PS., Indira Balachandran and Ravindran PN. (2008). Optimizing culture conditions for in vitro propagation of Trichosanthes cucumerina L.–an important medicinal plant. Jour. Herbs, Spices and Med. Plants, 14 (/2); 15-28.
• Minoo D., Geetha SP., Nirmal Babu K and Peter KV. (2008) Isolation and fusion of protoplasts in Vanilla species. Current science, 94(1): 113-118.
• Yamuna G., Sumathi V., Geetha SP., Praveen K., Swapna N. and Nirmal Babu K. (2007) Cryopresenrvation of in vitro grown shoots of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). Cryoletters 28(4): 241-252