Dr. Y.R. Sarma, a doyen in Plant Pathology and a pioneer researcher in diseases of spice crops, undertook his MSc and PhD studies at Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. He has been the guiding force behind formulating and implementing various research programmes on spices in India and at international level, particularly in ginger and black pepper. During a research career spanning four decades, he established the Advanced Centre for Phytophthora Research at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode, Kerala, which led to generation of a myriad of valuable information based on basic and applied research. As Project Coordinator of National Network on Phytophthora Diseases of Horticultural Crops (PHYTONET), he spearheaded research programmes on Phytophthora diseases pan India, focusing on healthy planting material production and integrated disease management strategies including Trichoderma and PGPRs. He developed the Phytophthora tolerant black pepper variety 'IISR Shakthi' which is still quite popular among the farming community. He was also well loved by the farming community across all black pepper growing states in the country. Dr Sarma served as the Director of ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode, Kerala and was also the Lead Consultant in FAO on black pepper and implemented the programme in Indonesia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka besides being associated with International Pepper Community (IPC), Jakarta.
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