K AnnapurnaDr. K. Annapurna is Head, Division of Microbiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research
Institute, New Delhi-12, India. She has been a pioneer researcher in the field of molecular ecology of legume - Rhizobium symbiosis, Azospirillum, Plant growth romoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and initiated work on soybean rhizobial genetic diversity. Through individual efforts, whole genome sequence of new strains of soybean (Bradyrhizobium liaoningense KAS-1) and chickpea root nodule bacteria strain DKA-1 initiated. She has developed a PCR based diagnostic marker for rapid identification of slow growing soybean root nodulating bacteria from soil and has demonstrated the tripartite interactions between legume plant, Rhizobium and rhizobacteria. Her research into endophytes and soil metagenomics has identified potent biocontrol agents and genes coding for different antibiotics. A highly potent bio-control agent Paenibacillus polymyxa HKA 15 which reduced the incidence of charcoal rot in soybean by almost 80% identified. She is currently focusing on the impact of bio-inoculants especially bio-control agents on soil microbial community diversity and structure. She visited several international research organizations as visiting scientist/ research collaborator including University of Tennessee, Knoxville and University of Missouri, Columbia) USA, CSIRO laboratories in Australia under the Australian Govt. Crawford Fund, Beijing University, Beijing, China, Ege University, Turkey, Oxford Univ and JIC, Norwich, etc. She received several awards via., IARI Best Teacher Award for Excellence in Teaching, Young Scientist Award conferred by Society of Basic and Applied Mycology, Women Leadership Award conferred by Asian PGPR Society, India Woman leader in Biosciences -Recognition by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India. Read More Read Less