Dual Role of Triazole Fungicides in Managing Alternaria Blight and Promoting Growth in Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Jyotika Purohit, Anirudha Chattopadhyay, Dasharathlal S. Patel, Somabhai M. Chaudhari, Kantilal K. Patel Crops, 2025 Alternaria leaf blight (ALB) is a major constraint to groundnut production, particularly in North Gujarat, where its incidence has intensified in recent years due to changing climatic conditions. Effective and sustainable disease management requires fungicides that not only suppress the pathogen but also promote plant growth. To identify such options, field experiments were conducted during 2016–2018 to evaluate the bioefficacy of nine fungicides, including five systemic, two contact, and two combination formulations. Among these, propiconazole 25 EC, tebuconazole 25 WG, and carbendazim 50 WP were the most effective in reducing disease intensity and slowing disease progression. The highest pod and haulm yields were recorded in plots treated with tebuconazole 25 WG, followed by propiconazole 25 EC and carbendazim 50 WP. However, the highest cost–benefit ratio was observed with carbendazim 50 WP, followed by propiconazole 25 EC and tebuconazole 25 WG. In addition, propiconazole 25 EC and tebuconazole 25 WG exhibited notable plant growth-promoting effects, enhancing plant height, root length, and chlorophyll content. Based on these findings, the application of propiconazole 25 EC or tebuconazole 25 WG is recommended for the effective and economical management of ALB in groundnut.
Microbial consortium-based biocontrol technologies for pulse crops Bhavesh M Joshi, Anirudha Chattopadhyay, MS Patel, NK Singh, J Purohit Journal of Food Legumes, 2025 Micro organisms linked to plants are crucial to agricultural output. Even though numerous studies have demonstrated that individual bacteria can benefit plants, it is becoming more and more clear that additive or synergistic effects are possible when two or more interacting microorganisms are involved in a microbial consortium. This happens partly because, in an ecosystem such as the rhizosphere, several species can carry out different duties. Thus, this review focuses on the plant growth stimulation that is exerted by various microbial players within the rhizosphere, including PGPB and fungi. These mechanisms include enhanced nutrient availability, phytohormone modulation, biocontrol, and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. As a sustainable and environmentally benign substitute for traditional chemical pesticides or fungicides, the use of bioagents in pulse crop agriculture has attracted a lot of interest. Due to their high protein content, nitrogen-fixing capacity, and contribution to soil health, pulse crops such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas are essential to global agriculture; however, maximizing their yield requires efficient management of pest diseases, in which biocontrol agents consortium are play crucial role.
Increasing Productivity and Recovering Nutritional, Organoleptic, and Nutraceutical Qualities of Major Vegetable Crops for Better Dietetics Raju Lal Bhardwaj, Latika Vyas, Mahendra Prakash Verma, Suresh Chand Meena, Anirudha Chattopadhyay, Neeraj Kumar Meena, Dan Singh Jakhar, Sita Ram Kumawat Foods, 2025 The intensive use of chemical fertilizers for vegetable cultivation to achieve higher productivity causes soil degradation, resulting in an alarming decline (25–50%) in nutritional quality and a reduction in a wide variety of nutritionally essential minerals and nutraceutical compounds in high-yielding vegetable crops over the last few decades. To restore the physio-chemical and biological qualities of soil as well as the nutritional and nutraceutical qualities of fresh produce, there is a growing desire to investigate the remedial impacts of organic sources of nutrition. This study specifically focused on the impact of six different ratios of chemical fertilizers and organic sources with microbial inoculation on vegetable productivity, nutrition quality, and soil health parameters. Results show that replacing chemical fertilizers with organic sources in the presence of a microbial consortium supports the proliferation of the microbial population in the soil rhizosphere and improves the nutritional status and physico-chemical quality of soil, which is the area around the roots of plants where maximum nutrient uptake occurs. This combination of factors significantly recovers overall soil quality, increasing crop productivity by 13.58 to 18.32 percent in tomato, brinjal, and okra. Experimental findings likewise indicate that an assortment of organic sources with a microbial consortium significantly recovers the abundance of beneficial microbes and earthworms in the rhizosphere, which leads to an improvement in nutritional, organoleptic, and nutraceutical quality, with higher antioxidant contents in all three vegetables grown in arid climate conditions.
Paper Towel Method: In Vitro Inoculation Technique for Rapid and Robust Assessment of Clusterbean and Cowpea Genotypes Against Macrophomina phaseolina Krupal V. Prajapati, Mitesh R. Prajapati, B. Megala Devi, Jyotika Purohit, Bindu Panickar, Sivasudha Thilakar, Manoj Choudhary, A. Abdul Kader Jailani, Anirudha Chattopadhyay Microbiology Research, 2024 The development and standardization of an effective inoculation technique are essential for reliable screening of crop genotypes. In this study, three inoculation methods—in vitro paper towel, in vitro agar, and soil inoculation in pots—were tested to evaluate the pathogenic potential of Macrophomina phaseolina, the causative agent of dry root rot (DRR). Since the pathogenicity of M. phaseolina is influenced by environmental factors, identifying a robust inoculation method is critical. Among the three techniques, the paper towel inoculation method resulted in the highest seedling mortality of 66.66% in cluster beans and 86.67% in cowpeas within just ten days, demonstrating its effectiveness. The agar inoculation technique, while successful, required 15 days to confirm pathogenicity, with seedling mortality rates of 63.33% for cowpeas and 53.33% for cluster beans. In contrast, the soil inoculation method showed comparatively lower mortality rates, with 36.66% for cluster beans and 26.67% for cowpeas. Based on these findings, the paper towel method emerged as the most efficient technique for inducing rapid pathogenicity in M. phaseolina in both cowpeas and cluster beans. Its suitability was further validated through the screening of released varieties of these crops compared against the soil inoculation method. Notably, genotypes that appeared moderately resistant under the soil inoculation method were found to range from susceptible to highly susceptible when evaluated using the paper towel technique. These results underscore the reliability of the paper towel method as a rapid and robust screening tool for identifying resistant genotypes of cowpea and cluster bean on a larger scale.
Expanding Possibilities for Foreign Gene Expression by Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus Genome-Based Bipartite Vector System Anirudha Chattopadhyay, A. Abdul Kader Jailani, Anirban Roy, Sunil Kumar Mukherjee, Bikash Mandal Plants, 2024 Expanding possibilities for foreign gene expression in cucurbits, we present a novel approach utilising a bipartite vector system based on the cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) genome. Traditional full-length CGMMV vectors face limitations such as a restricted cargo capacity and unstable foreign gene expression. To address these challenges, we developed two ‘deconstructed’ CGMMV genomes, DG-1 and DG-2. DG-1 features a major internal deletion, resulting in the loss of crucial replicase enzyme domains, rendering it incapable of self-replication. However, a staggered infiltration of DG-1 in CGMMV-infected plants enabled successful replication and movement, facilitating gene-silencing experiments. Conversely, DG-2 was engineered to enhance replication rates and provide multiple cloning sites. Although it exhibited higher replication rates, DG-2 remained localised within infiltrated tissue, displaying trans-replication and restricted movement. Notably, DG-2 demonstrated utility in expressing GFP, with a peak expression observed between 6 and 10 days post-infiltration. Overall, our bipartite system represents a significant advancement in functional genomics, offering a robust tool for foreign gene expression in Nicotiana benthamiana.
Biodiversity and periodical/seasonal distribution of Nematode trapping fungi from different habitats Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology, 2015
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
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Dual Role of Triazole Fungicides in Managing Alternaria Blight and Promoting Growth in Groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) J Purohit, A Chattopadhyay, DS Patel, SM Chaudhari, KK Patel Crops 5 (5), 60 , 2025 2025
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Paper Towel Method: In Vitro Inoculation Technique for Rapid and Robust Assessment of Clusterbean and Cowpea Genotypes Against Macrophomina phaseolina KV Prajapati, MR Prajapati, BM Devi, J Purohit, B Panickar, S Thilakar, ... Microbiology Research 15 (4), 2522-2534 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
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Aflatoxin's Toll on Health: Insights into Human and Animal Impact JP Rai, J Narware, R Kumar, R Kumar, P Pandey, N Prakash, SK Holkar, ... Preprints , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
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Early detection of wilt in Cajanus cajan using satellite hyperspectral images: Development and validation of disease-specific spectral index with integrated methodology A Dutta, R Tyagi, A Chattopadhyay, D Chatterjee, A Sarkar, B Lall, ... Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 219, 108784 , 2024 2024 Citations: 29
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STATUS OF ALTERNARIA LEAF BLIGHT IN COTTON AND ITS FUNGICIDAL MANAGEMENT DB PATEL, ML TETARWAL, KS PANDYA, J PUROHIT, RL MEENA, ... JOURNAL OF MYCOLOGY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY 54 (3), 279 , 2024 2024
Status of Alternaria leaf blight in cotton and its fungicidal management 54:(3) 279-292 DB Patel, ML Tetarwal, KS Pandya, J Purohit, RL Meena, ... J Mycol Pl Pathol, 2 , 2024 2024
Races and Biovar Characterization of Ralstonia solanacearum Causing Bacterial Wilt Disease of Potato BM Joshi, MM Patel, RB Parmar, YR Patel, NK Singh, PV Tapre, J Purohit, ... International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 13 (12), 1072-1079 , 2023 2023
Bio-intensive Management of pv. Xanthomonas axonopodis cyamopsidis Causing Bacterial Blight of Clusterbean SH Joshi, Anirudha Chattopadhyay, NK Singh, RS Jaiman, Jyotika Purohit J. Mycology and Plant Patholgy 53 (4), 412-420 , 2023 2023
Accelerated long-fragment circular PCR for genetic manipulation of plant viruses in unveiling functional genomics AAK Jailani, A Chattopadhyay, P Kumar, OW Singh, SK Mukherjee, A Roy, ... Viruses 15 (12), 2332 , 2023 2023 Citations: 6
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Microbial keratinases: industrial enzymes with waste management potential A Verma, H Singh, S Anwar, A Chattopadhyay, KK Tiwari, S Kaur, ... Critical reviews in biotechnology 37 (4), 476-491 , 2017 2017 Citations: 207
Metagenomic exploration of plastic degrading microbes for biotechnological application J Purohit, A Chattopadhyay, B Teli Current Genomics 21 (4), 253-270 , 2020 2020 Citations: 158
Microbial exudates as biostimulants: role in plant growth promotion and stress mitigation M Ansari, BM Devi, A Sarkar, A Chattopadhyay, L Satnami, P Balu, ... Journal of xenobiotics 13 (4), 572-603 , 2023 2023 Citations: 88
Green synthesis of microbial nanoparticle: approaches to application J Purohit, A Chattopadhyay, NK Singh Microbial nanobionics: Volume 2, basic research and applications, 35-60 , 2019 2019 Citations: 86
Mycoremediation of agricultural soil: bioprospection for sustainable development J Purohit, A Chattopadhyay, MK Biswas, NK Singh Mycoremediation and Environmental Sustainability: Volume 2, 91-120 , 2018 2018 Citations: 55
Major viral diseases in grain legumes: designing disease resistant legumes from plant breeding and OMICS integration UC Jha, H Nayyar, A Chattopadhyay, R Beena, AA Lone, YD Naik, ... Frontiers in Plant Science 14 (10.3389/fpls.2023.1183505) , 2023 2023 Citations: 40
Dissecting diagnostic and management strategies for plant viral diseases: what next? BM Devi, S Guruprasath, P Balu, A Chattopadhyay, SS Thilagar, ... Agriculture 14 (2), 284 , 2024 2024 Citations: 38
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The evolution of CRISPR/Cas9 and their cousins: hope or hype? K Bhushan, A Chattopadhyay, D Pratap Biotechnology letters 40 (3), 465-477 , 2018 2018 Citations: 29
Expression and regulation of stress-responsive genes in plants under harsh environmental conditions Sahil, R Keshan, A Patra, S Mehta, KF Abdelmotelb, SA Lavale, ... Harsh Environment and Plant Resilience: Molecular and Functional Aspects, 25-44 , 2021 2021 Citations: 28
Targeting transcription factors for plant disease resistance A Chattopadhyay, J Purohit, KK Tiwari, R Deshmukh Current Science 117 (10), 1598-1607 , 2019 2019 Citations: 25
Exigency of plant-based vaccine against COVID-19 emergence as pandemic preparedness A Chattopadhyay, AAK Jailani, B Mandal Vaccines 11 (8), 1347 , 2023 2023 Citations: 22
Omics insight on Fusarium head blight of wheat for translational research perspective B Teli, J Purohit, MM Rashid, AAK Jailani, A Chattopadhyay Current Genomics 21 (6), 411-428 , 2020 2020 Citations: 20
Precision genome editing toolbox: applications and approaches for improving rice’s genetic resistance to pathogens A Chattopadhyay, J Purohit, S Mehta, H Parmar, S Karippadakam, ... Agronomy 12 (3), 565 , 2022 2022 Citations: 19
Genic molecular markers in fungi: Availability and utility for bioprospection A Chattopadhyay, KK Tiwari, K Bhushan, D Pratap Molecular Markers in Mycology: Diagnostics and Marker Developments, 151-176 , 2017 2017 Citations: 18
Sustainable agriculture reviews 60: Microbial processes in agriculture NK Singh, A Chattopadhyay, E Lichtfouse Springer Nature Switzerland , 2023 2023 Citations: 17
Present Status of Fusarium Head Blight of Wheat and Barley in India Basavaraj Teli, Anirudha Chattopadhyay, SC Meena, G P Gangawar, and S K Pandey Diseases of Wheat and their Management (Eds: Vaish, SS), 79-94 , 2016 2016 Citations: 15
Anti‐CRISPR proteins: Counterattack of phages on bacterial defense (CRISPR/Cas) system K Bhushan, A Chattopadhyay, D Pratap Journal of Cellular Physiology 233 (1), 57-59 , 2018 2018 Citations: 14
Differential mode of action of tricyclazole in vitro and in planta on Bipolaris sorokiniana causing spot blotch in barley A Chattopadhyay, C Kushwaha, R Chand, JS Srivastava Indian Phytopathol 66, 155-158 , 2013 2013 Citations: 14
Characterization of the plant pathogenic isolates of Alternaria burnsii . NK Singh, DB Patel, SR Chaudhari, BG Morad, SM Rabari, ... 2016 Citations: 13