Agriculture & Horticulture

Biography

Born in 1942, Prof. Srivastava did his PhD in 1967 from University of Allahabad. He joined Haryana Agricultural University in 1967, served as Cotton Pathologist, Extension Plant Pathologist, Professor, Head Plant Pathology, and Director, Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation till his superannuation in 2002. He is a distinguished plant pathologist with 50 years of experience, recognized nationally and internationally for his contributions on post-harvest diseases, multiple resistance in rice, and on technology/knowledge transfer, plant health clinic and fungicides. With his vision, dedication and sustained efforts he is largely responsible for the rapid progress of plant clinic and application of plant pathology knowledge in mitigating losses and ensuring sustainable agriculture. He is considered as protagonist of plant health clinic, and an architect of extension plant pathology in the country and is remembered for his contribution and innovative periodicals such as Plant Disease Warning,& Plant Pathology Courier among others. Dr Srivastava has created a niche for himself as a leading extension plant pathologist, consultant on fungicides, advisor on plant health/ailments, and plant health clinic.
In recognition of his significant contribution in Technology transfer, he was awarded coveted ‘Fellowship of The National Academy of Sciences’ in 1988,‘Best Extension National Award’ by Indian Council of Agricultural Research in 1996 and was invited to deliver a lecture on Technology Flow in 7th International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP) at Edinburgh in 1998, and later a Keynote address on Plant Pathology Knowledge transfer in 8th ICPP at Christchurch, New Zealand in 2003, and invited lecture on Knowledge transfer in 10th International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP) on Aug 28, 2013 at Beijing, China. In September 2013, he was conferred Dr Radhakrishnan Award 2013 for his singular contribution in Education and National development, while International Technological Achievement Award on 9th February 2013 by EET CRS for internationally acclaimed technology and its dissemination to growers.
He has played a pivotal role in popularization of plant clinic by delivering invited lectures in India, China, New Zealand, Singapore, Italy, Germany with greater emphasis on organized plant clinic. He arranged an ‘Evening Session on Plant Health Clinic’ in 9th International Congress of Plant Pathology at Turin, Italy in 2008. Recently he delivered an invited keynote address on ’Plant clinics hold key to food security’ and organized Key note Session-5 in 10th ICPP at Beijing on August 29, 2013.
Prof. Srivastava, has been President of Indian Society of Plant Pathologists, President of Indian Phytopathology (NZ), twice Member House of Delegate of Asian Societies of Plant Pathology, and is currently Senior Vice President of Association of Plant Pathologists of India, Chief Editor of Indian Journal of Plant Pathology, and Member Pesticide Panel of Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, and Technical Advisor of Pestology, Fellow of the National academy of Sciences & member of British Society for Plant Pathology, German Phytomedical Society, among others.
He has guided a dozen of students for PhD on integrated management /biological control of pathogen and noxious weed Parthenium. He has delivered over a dozen of Keynote/Plenary/invited lectures in India and abroad, and has published more than 175 papers and over 300 popular articles besides 6 booklets and 5 book chapters. He is an eloquent orator and has appeared on national television and All-India Radio to deliver talk and conduct panel discussion on diverse issues of plant protection. He also coordinated and anchored a week-long SATCOM program on Integrated Rural Development, broadcasted from Delhi Earth Station employing INSAT-2A in 1995. His key areas of interest are: technology transfer, plant health clinic, integrated pest management and fungicides. Currently offering online diagnosis and remedies against pest, and advice on establishment of plant clinics and latest know-how in plant protection through his web portal www.xsgrowth.com at zero cost.

Research Interest

Plant Science, Plant Pathology