SR

SRINIVASAN RAMASAMY

Also known as: SRINI

World Vegetable Center, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Research areas: Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Insect Science · Insect-Plant Interactions and Control · Insect Pest Control Strategies · Insect behavior and control techniques

ORCID iD 0000-0002-8454-7331
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About

Dr. Srinivasan Ramasamy is a distinguished agricultural scientist and the Director of the Biological Sciences Research Program at the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) headquarters in Shanhua, Taiwan. With a career dedicated to safeguarding global food security, his work focuses on advancing sustainable crop protection, enhancing plant health, and developing resilient vegetable production systems for smallholder farmers across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

At WorldVeg, Dr. Srinivasan oversees high-impact research initiatives spanning agroecology, soil health, plant health, postharvest and processing. He is a leading proponent of moving beyond traditional farming frameworks toward an integrated 'Push-Pull-Policy' approach. His research champions Integrated Plant Health Management (IPHEM), actively developing affordable, bio-based alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides while advocating for the commercial supply chains and price premiums necessary to make sustainable agriculture profitable for farmers.

Throughout his career, he has secured over $33 million in funding for research and development projects. He has facilitated collaborations across more than 30 countries on six continents, partnering with universities, private sector entities, farmer groups, NGOs, and international organizations. Additionally, he has trained and mentored over 75 students, postdoctoral fellows, and researchers from 15 different countries. With over 275 publications, including a 2021 review on Maruca vitrata in the Annual Review of Entomology, he is the most prolific author at the World Vegetable Center from 1977 to 2024.

Dr. Srinivasan has been the Convener of the Biological Control of Diamondback Moth and Other Crucifer Insects Working Group under the International Organisation for Biological Control (IOBC) since May 2017. He has also been a Member of the Governing Board of the International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences (IAPPS) since October 2016, contributing to global efforts to advance sustainable plant protection strategies.

Dr. Srinivasan's significant contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the International Plant Protection Award of Distinction in 2011, the ISHS Medal in 2018, the VEGINET–SEAVEG Award in 2019, Fellowship of the Royal Entomological Society in 2021, the Lifetime Achievement in International Agriculture Research Award from the Asian PGPR Society in 2024, and the Dr. Chandish R. Ballal Team Award for Outstanding Extension Work in Biological Control from the Society for Biocontrol Advancement in 2025.

His extensive work experience spans 40 countries, including Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, China, Kenya, Tanzania, and the United States, demonstrating his global impact on sustainable pest management and vegetable production.

An international expert in his field, Dr. Srinivasan is frequently engaged in global scientific collaborations and high-level sector strategy developments. Known for his profound appreciation of Taiwan’s natural heritage, he balances his rigorous scientific pursuits with a passion for exploring the island's unique ecological wonders, famously capturing the intersection of ancient nature and modern agriculture through his travels.

Employment

Education

Projects & Funding

  • Grow Against the Flow: Scaling off-season vegetable innovations to improve incomes and nutrition in Cambodia and Lao PDR Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung
    2020 - 2023
  • Identifying, exploring, and preserving diversity of beneficial arthropods for sustainable tomato production Swedish Research Council
    2019 - 2021
  • Tajikistan Nutrition-Sensitive Vegetable Technologies - Phase 2 United States Agency for International Development
    2018 - 2020
  • Resist Detect Protect: Wide spectrum insect resistance and sound management strategies to sustainably manage insect pests on Solanaceous vegetables in South Asia The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) / Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
    2017 - 2019
  • Cambodian Horticulture Project for Advancing Income and Nutrition (CHAIN) Swiss Development Cooperation
    2015 - 2017
  • Enhancing the Livelihood Opportunities of Smallholder African Indigenous Vegetable (AIV) Producers through the Development and Implementation of IPM Measures for Arthropod and Nematode Pests The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) / Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
    2014 - 2017
  • Attraction in Action: Using pheromones and other safe and sustainable management strategies to reduce losses from insect pests and plant diseases on vegetable legumes and leafy brassicas in Southeast Asia The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) / Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
    2014 - 2017
  • Beating Begomoviruses: Better livelihoods for farmers in tropical Asia with begomovirus-resistant tomato, hot pepper and mungbean and integrated disease management The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) / Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
    2012 - 2015
  • Implementation of integrated thrips and tospovirus management strategies in smallholder vegetable cropping systems of eastern Africa The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) / Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
    2012 - 2015
  • Enhancing horticultural productivity, incomes and livelihoods through integrated management of aphid pests on vegetables in sub-Saharan Africa The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) / Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
    2011 - 2014
  • Less loss, more profit, better health: reducing the losses caused by the pod borer (Maruca vitrata) on vegetable legumes in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa by refining component technologies of a sustainable management strategy The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) / Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
    2010 - 2013
  • Pioneering development of a public-private partnership in the use of agri-biotechnology for sustainable solutions to insect problems on crucifer crops in India Vater und Sohn Eiselen-Stiftung
    2006 - 2007

Publications (197)