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MAHENDAR THUDI

University of Southern Queensland, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University, University of Hyderabad, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

ORCID iD 0000-0003-2851-6837
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About

Mahendar Thudi, Fellow of Telangana Academy of Sciences, is currently working as Associate Professor at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU), Pusa, Bihar India. With basic background in agriculture obtained his Masters from University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India and earned his doctorate from University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India, in Plant Sciences. He possesses more than 12 years of experience in international agricultural research. Prior to joining RPCAU, he worked for International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India for more than a decade in various capacities. He is also an Adjunct Professor at University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Toowoomba, Australia and Distinguished Professor at Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China. He also led the Biotechnology Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) as Acting Theme Leader for ESA Biotechnology. He led the genotyping services laboratory, the state of art genotyping and sequencing facility at ICRISAT.

Dr. Thudi significantly contributed to development of large-scale genetic and genomic resources in chickpea and pearl millet. He played a key role in generation of pearl millet and chickpea draft genome sequence and led re-sequencing of ~2000 pearl millet and chickpea genotypes. His efforts also led to development of 10 genetic maps and identification of QTLs for abiotic and biotic stresses in chickpea. He has been successful in deploying the modern breeding approaches for the development of climate resilient chickpeas. Two high yielding varieties (drought tolerant, Pusa Chickpea 10216 and fusarium wilt resistant MABC-WR-SA1) molecular breeding varieties were released for commercial cultivation in India. He independently led projects (US$ 500,000) funded by Government of Karnataka, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. In addition, he has been a great team player in attracting funds as a collaborator from international funding like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Generation Challenge Program.

He has authored > 90 research/ review articles published in the top-class international journals (e.g. Nature Biotechnology, Nature Genetics, Nature Ecology and Evolution, Scientific Reports, Plant Biotechnology Journal, Plant Genome, DNA Research, Theoretical and Applied Genetics, etc.). He was an invited speaker in several international and national conferences like Plant and Animal Genome Conference 2018 (South Korea), 2015 (Singapore), 2013 (California, USA), Inter Drought 2017 (Hyderabad, India), IFLRC 2018 (Marrakech, Morocco), Plant Genomics Conference 2016 (Brisbane, Australia), DBT-ABLE conference 2014 (Bangalore, India). He has been contributing to the community by serving several journals as well as funding organizations as reviewer as well as organizing national and international conference/seminars/workshops. He has been serving as resource person in several training programs conducted by national institutes; has been mentoring next generation scientists like Masters, PhD and Post-Doctoral fellows.

Employment

  • Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University Associate Professor
    2021 - 2023
  • University of Southern Queensland
    2018 - Present
  • International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) SeniorScientist
    2008 - 2021

Education

  • University of Hyderabad PhD
    2005 - 2010

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (102)