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Dr. C Sarathambal

Dr. C Sarathambal
Name Dr. C Sarathambal
Designation Senior Scientist
Division Crop Protection
Qualification Ph.D.
Specialisation Agricultural Microbiology
Contact saratha6@gmail.com
Areas of Interest Soil microbial Divesrity, Plant microbe interaction, Endophytes

  1. Dilkush F, Sarathambal C, Charles S, Blessy P, Praveena R, Prasath D. Antagonistic bacterial endophytes from gingers and their metabolite-mediated interactions against Pythium soft rot. Curr Microbiol. 2026;83:34.

  2. Dilkush F, Sarathambal C, Alfiya PV, Praveena R, Prasath D. Metabolic optimization of endophytic bacteria from aromatic ginger (Kaempferia galanga) and black turmeric (Curcuma caesia) for enhanced biocontrol of Pythium myriotylum. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol. 2025;140:102898.

  3. Mohan M, Jayashree E, Alfiya PV, Anees K, Sarathambal C. Physicochemical and antioxidant characterization of blended spice-flavoured jaggery cubes during storage. Sugar Tech. 2025.

  4. Sarathambal C, Manimaran B, Peeran MF, Srinivasan V, Praveena R, Gayathri P, Dilkush F, Abraham A. Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization promotes plant growth and regulates biochemical and molecular defense responses against Pythium myriotylum and Meloidogyne incognita in ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). Rhizosphere. 2025;15:101071.

  5. Sarathambal C, Peeran MF, Srinivasan V, Sankar SM, George P. Optimizing mycorrhizal fungi application for improved nutrient uptake, growth, and disease resistance in cardamom seedlings (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton). Heliyon. 2024;10:e39227.

  6. Sarathambal C, Srinivasan V, Jeevalatha A, Sivaranjani R, Alagupalamuthirsolai M, Peeran MF, Sankar MS, George P, Dilkush F. Unravelling the synergistic effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and vermicompost on improving plant growth, nutrient absorption, and secondary metabolite production in ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). Front Sustain Food Syst. 2024;8:1412610.

  7. Sarathambal C, Jeevalatha A, Sivaranjani R, Biju CN, Charles S, Srinivasan V, George P, Blessy P, Radhika R. Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization alters biochemical and molecular defense responses and root exudate composition against Phytophthora capsici infection in black pepper. Rhizosphere. 2023;25:100651.

  8. Sarathambal C, Sivaranjani R, Srinivasan V, Alagupalamuthirsolai M, Subila KP, Anamika B. Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation on growth, mineral nutrient uptake, photosynthesis and antioxidant activities of black pepper cuttings. J Plant Nutr. 2023;46(10):2508–2524.

  9. Sarathambal C, Srinivasan V, Dinesh R, Jeevalatha A, Prabhu G, Shahana AP. Bajra–Napier hybrid, a perennial grass, as an effective host for mass multiplication of arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculum. Range Manag Agrofor. 2022;43(1):80–87.

  10. Sarathambal C, Dinesh R, Srinivasan V, Sheeja TE, Jeeva V, Manzoor M. Changes in bacterial diversity and composition in response to co-inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizae and zinc-solubilizing bacteria in turmeric rhizosphere. Curr Microbiol. 2022;79(1):4.

  11. Sheeja TE, Praveena R, Vijesh Kumar IP, Sarathambal C, Shajina O, Vijay H, Rajeev N, Mol PP, Sreena CP, Srinivasan V, Dinesh R. A novel Zn transporter gene (ClZIP1) from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and expression analysis in the presence of a zinc-solubilizing bacterium. Plant Mol Biol Rep. 2022;40:500–515.

  12. Praveena R, Srekha K, Revathy R, Srinivasan V, Sarathambal C, George P, Subila KP, Dinesh R. New rhizobacteria strains with effective antimycotic compounds against rhizome rot pathogens and identification of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides. Rhizosphere. 2022;22:100515.

  13. Sarathambal C, Sivaranjani R, Viswanathan R. Mechanism of antioxidant and antifungal properties of Pimenta dioica (L.) leaf essential oil against Aspergillus flavus. J Food Sci Technol. 2020:1–10.

  14. Dinesh R, Srinivasan V, Hamza S, Sarathambal C, Ankegowda SJ, Ganeshamurthy AN, Gupta SB, Aparna Nair V, Subila KP, Lijina A, Divya VC. Isolation and characterization of potential zinc-solubilizing bacteria from soil and their effects on soil zinc release rates, soil available zinc and plant zinc content. Geoderma. 2018;321:173–186.

  15. Sarathambal C, Khankhane PJ, Gharde Y, Kumar B, Varun M, Arun S. Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on growth, physiology, and cadmium uptake of Arundo donax L. Int J Phytoremediation. 2017;19(4):360–370.

  16. Sarathambal C, Ilamurugu K, Balachandar D, Chinnadurai C, Gharde Y. Characterization and crop production efficiency of diazotrophic isolates from the rhizosphere of semi-arid tropical grasses of India. Appl Soil Ecol. 2015;87:1–10.

  17. Sarathambal C, Thangaraju M, Paulraj C, Gomathy M. Assessing the zinc-solubilization ability of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus in maize rhizosphere using labeled ⁶⁵Zn compounds. Indian J Microbiol. 2010;50(Suppl):S103–S109.

Awards/Recognition

  1. Recognized as Research Guide by University of Calicut and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS)
  2. Fellow of Indian Society for Spices (2025)
  3. Editorial Board Member, Journal of Food and Agricultural Research (JFAR) (ISSN: 2583-1291)
  4. Young Scientist Award (2017) from the Indian Society of Weed Science (ISWS), Jabalpur.
  5. Prof. A. Balasubramanian Award (2007) for Best Agricultural Microbiology Student from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.

 

Best oral/poster presentation award

  1. Best Oral Presentation Award at the National Symposium on Recent Trends in Omics in Plant Biology (2025)
  2. Best Paper Award for Oral Presentation from Government Arts and Science College, Palakkad, Kerala (2023)
  3. Best Paper Presentation Award at the National Seminar on “Spices: Emerging Trends in Production, Processing and Marketing” held at ICAR-CCARI, Goa (2020)
  4. Best Poster Presentation Award at the International E-Conference on Multidisciplinary Approaches for Plant Disease Management held at the College of Horticulture, Bengaluru (2020)
  5. Best Paper Presentation Award at the International Conference on Plant Protection in Horticulture (ICPPH-2019) held at ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru
  6. Best Poster Presentation Award at the 25th Asian-Pacific Weed Science Conference held at Hyderabad (2015)
  7. Received the Best Publication Award from the Society for Advancement of Human and Nature (SADHNA), Solan, Himachal Pradesh (2014).

 

Technologies Certified by ICAR

  1. Arbuscular mycorrhizae (IISR AM1) fortified nursery media for the production of healthy black pepper cuttings (ICAR-HS-IISpicesR-Technology-2024-049) 
    Inventors: C. Sarathambal, V. Srinivasan, R. Sivaranjani, M. Alagupalamuthirsoli
  2. Nutmeg rind value added products (ICAR-HS-IISpicesR-Process-2024-044)  <
    Inventors: E. Jayashree, P. V. Alfiya, K. Anees, C. Sarathambal, B. Vishnu
  3. A PGPR strain (Bacillus safensis) for plant growth promotion, soil nutrient solubilization and disease suppression (ICAR-HS-IISpicesR-Product-2024-046)  
    Inventors: R. Praveena, R. Dinesh, V. Srinivasan, C. Sarathambal
  4. Integrated Farming system (IFS) model for spice crops (ICAR-NRM-IIFSR-Technology-2024-087) 
    Inventors: C.K. Thankamani, V. Srinivasan, C. Sarathambal, S. Shanmugavel

PI

  1. Development of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi based bioinoculant formulation for growth promotion  and disease tolerance in major spices

Co-PI

  1. Network project on organic farming 
  2. Development and formulation of Plant Beneficial Rhizosphere Microorganisms (PBRMs) for disease antagonism, soil nutrient solubilization and plant growth promotion 
  3. Diversity analysis, survival studies and management of Pythium spp. infecting ginger 
  4. An advanced centre for mass production of beneficial microflora for sustainable agriculture

Book Chapters

  1. Mohandas S, Sarathambal C, Anees K, Jayashree E, Xavier JR. Innovations in detection of adulterants in spices and condiments. In: Sharma GK, Xavier JR, Singh A, editors. Handbook on food adulterants and contaminants: detection, chemistry and health hazards. New Delhi: New India Publishing Agency; 2024. p. 359–378.

  2. Sarathambal C, Dinesh R, Srinivasan V. Functional soil microbes: an approach toward sustainable horticulture. In: Mishra BB, Nayak SK, Mohapatra S, Samantaray D, editors. Environmental and agricultural microbiology: applications for sustainability. Hoboken (NJ): Scrivener Publishing LLC; 2021. p. 221–242.

  3. Prabhu G, Srinivasan R, Chaudhary M, Kumar K, Sarathambal C, Sujayanand GK. Weed management practices for integrated farming systems. In: Kumar S, Palsaniya DR, Kumar K, Dixit AK, Das M, Ghosh PK, editors. Farming systems: issues and strategies. New Delhi: Astral International Pvt Ltd; 2017. p. 255–274. ISBN: 9789385055881.

Review Articles

  1. Anitta A, Sarathambal C, Srinivasan V, Thankamani CK. Management practices on soil biochemical parameters and rhizosphere microbial communities of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.): an overview. Agric Rev. 2025:1–10. doi:10.18805/ag.R-2740.

  2. Jayan A, George P, Dilkush F, Sarathambal C. Exploring endophytes of ginger for sustainable plant growth promotion and secondary metabolite production. J Food Agric Res. 2022;2(2):139–149. doi:10.47509/JFAR.2022.v02i02.05.

  3. Biju CN, Jeevalatha A, Bhat AI, Peeran MF, Praveena R, Sarathambal C, Eapen SJ. Domestic quarantine: an introspection and future perspectives on biosecurity interventions to contain pathogen spread in vegetatively propagated spices in India. J Spices Aromat Crops. 2021;30(2):142–162. doi:10.25081/josac.2021.v30.i2.7305.

  4. Sarathambal C, Ilamurugu K, Srimathi Priya L, Barman KK. Weeds as a source of novel plant growth-promoting microbes for crop improvement: a review. J Appl Nat Sci. 2014;6(2):880–886.

  5. Poorniammal R, Sarathambal C, Sakthi AR, Arun S. Yeast carotenoids: importance in food and feed industries and their health benefits—a review. Agric Rev. 2013;34(4):307–312.

Book

  1. Poorniammal R, Sarathambal C, Sakthi AR. Methods in soil microbiology. Coimbatore (India): Thannambikkai Offset Printers; 2015. 212 p. ISBN: 9789381102770.

Name of Student University (Affiliation) Title of Thesis Completed / Ongoing Year of Completion
Fathima Dilkush University of Calicut Bioprospection and characterization of metabolites derived from bacterial endophytes of gingers and their bio-efficacy against Pythium spp. Ongoing 2027
Ms. Anitta Abraham University of Calicut Impact of different management practices on soil biological processes and microbial diversity in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) rhizosphere Ongoing 2028