Rakesh Kumar Singh Email & Phone Number

Dubai

Los Banos, Philippines

Specialized in breeding rice varieties for problem soils (saline, alkaline or sodic, Zn deficient and Fe toxic soils) and high temperature. Major research activities (2005 – present):• Trait lead for abiotic stresses (Problem soils, Salinity, Sodicity, Fe toxicity and Zn deficiency) and high temperature• Currently coordinating rainfed lowland rice breeding program for south east Asia (SEA)• Coordinated the rice breeding program in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) from 2009-2012• Breeding rice varieties for multiple stress tolerance (salinity+sub1; Salinity +Zn deficiency tolerance and Salinity + Fe toxicity tolerance) • QTL identification for salinity tolerance in rice at seedling and reproductive stage and also for Zn deficiency tolerance• Guiding the students (MS and PhD) from various countriesInstrumental in release of following rice varieties for salt-affected areas in different countries: IRRI 147: This variety (IR63307-4B-4-3) is released in 2009 in Philippines as NSIC Rc 182 for the coastal saline areas.  CSR 43: This variety (CSR-89IR-8) release in 2012 for the sodic areas of UP in India.  IR 72046-B-R-8-3-1-3: This variety is also released in 2012 for coastal saline soils of Odisha and West Bengal (India).  Instrumental for the development and release of 4 rice varieties; IR84084-2B-1-1, IR83410-6-B-4-1-1-2, IR84095-AJY3-8-SDO1-B and IR84096-AJY4-2-SDO4-B.  Got two rice varieties (IR05N221 as Komboka and IR03A262 as Tai) released in Tanzania in 2013 for commercial cultivation for IR/RL ecology (last release was in 2002) through extensive testing and validation of the IRRI bred materials.  IR05N221 (aromatic) rice variety released in Kenya as well through KARI as NARES partner in 2013.  IR05N221 (as Komboka), an aromatic variety and IR09A136 (as Agoro) rice varieties released in 2014 in Uganda for the first time for irrigated and rainfed lowlands.

Karnal India

At CSSRI Karnal (India), I was responsible to breed the rice varieties for salt-affected areas of country. During my stay in CSSRI, we got following rice varieties released for commercial cultivation in India.  CSR10: First ever salt tolerant rice variety of the country released for highly deteriorated sodic and inland saline soils ( pH2 = 9.8-10.2 and ECe = 6-11 dSm-1). It also acts as biological amendment for resource poor farmers.  CSR13: Fine grain salt tolerant rice variety released for sodic and inland saline soils (pH2 = 9.2-10.0 and ECe < 9.0 dSm-1) of UP, Haryana, Gujarat and Maharasthra.  CSR23: It is a fine grain salt tolerant rice variety recently released in 2004 for sodic and coastal saline soils (pH2 = 9.2- 9.9 and ECe < 9.0 dSm-1) of country.  CSR 27 : It is a fine grain, early maturing high yielding rice variety released for Alkaline (sodic) soils of UP and Haryana and Coastal saline soils of Maharasthra, Gujarat, Kerala, TN and WB etc. It suits to sodic soils (pH2  9.6 - 9.9) and saline soils (ECe < 10 dSm-1) under transplanted conditions.  Basmati CSR30 : Basmati rice varieties are mostly salt sensitive and we are pioneer to develop the first sodicity tolerant superfine grain aromatic basmati type rice variety, CSR30, which was released for sodic soils (pH2 8.8-9.5) of North Western States of UP, Punjab and Haryana. It is comparable to national check (Taraori Basmati) for all the quality parameters. CSR36: Fine grain high yielding salt tolerant rice variety which grows well under sodic conditions (pH2 ~ 9.9) in addition to the high yields under non-stress environments.

Doctorate, Plant Breeding, 4.500/5.000

Activities and Societies: Plant Breeding Society - Pantnagar ChapterCompleted PhD degree from the First and one of the most reputed.

Master’S Degree, Genetics And Plant Breeding, 4.920 / 5.000

Activities and Societies: Plant Breeding Society; University Hockey team

B.Sc.In Agriculture (Hons.), Agriculture, General, 1St Division And 2Nd Position (Chancellor'S Medal) In Agra University

Activities and Societies: Hockey team Captain of college