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Dr. M. Balaji Rajkumar

Dr. M. Balaji Rajkumar
Name Dr. M. Balaji Rajkumar
Designation Senior Scientist
Division Crop Protection
Qualification Ph.D.
Specialisation Agricultural Entomology
Contact balaento.ento@gmail.com
Areas of Interest Pest management

  1. Balaji Rajkumar M, Sivaranjani R, Senthil Kumar CM, Punithavalli M, Asangi H, Ankegowda SJ. Impact of thrips (Sciothrips cardamomi) damage on volatile composition and other attributes of cardamom capsules (Elettaria cardamomum). Ann Appl Biol. 2025;1–14. doi:10.1111/aab.70077.

  2. Senthil Kumar CM, Samyuktha M, Balaji Rajkumar M, et al. Host range and virulence of Metarhizium pingshaense against Chilo species and expression of fungal virulence genes in Conogethes punctiferalis. Sci Rep. 2025;15:18506. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-03643-y.

  3. Punithavalli M, Govindaraj P, Balaji Rajkumar M. Resistance mechanism of energy canes developed from Saccharum spontaneum and Erianthus arundinaceus against sugarcane borer pests. J Asia Pac Entomol. 2025;28(2):102408. doi:10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102408.

  4. Senthil Kumar CM, D'Silva S, Praveena R, Kaprakkaden A, Krishnan LRA, Balaji Rajkumar M, Srinivasan V, Dinesh R. Zinc solubilization and organic acid production by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium pingshaense sheds light on its key ecological role in the environment. Sci Total Environ. 2024;923:171348. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171348.

  5. Berliner J, Daniel JA, Balaji Rajkumar M, Gowda HC, Manimaran B, Parvez R, Khan MR, Mhatre PH, Pandi GP. Faunal diversity associated with wheat cultivation in high altitudes of Nilgiris. Curr Sci. 2023;124(4):426–433. doi:10.18520/cs/v124/i4/426-433.

  6. Bhattacherjee AK, Balaji Rajkumar M, Dikshit A. Safety evaluation of lambda-cyhalothrin and quinalphos in mango (Mangifera indica L.). Pestic Res J. 2021;33(2):12–17. doi:10.5958/2249-524X.2021.00032.

  7. Devasahayam S, Jacob TK, Senthil Kumar CM, Balaji Rajkumar M. Biorational strategies for the management of insect pests of spice crops. J Spices Aromat Crops. 2020;29(1):21–37. doi:10.25081/josac.2020.v29.i1.6330.

  8. Gundappa, Balaji Rajkumar M, Shukla PK. Survey and surveillance of natural enemies in mango ecosystem. J Biol Control. 2019;33(2):160–162.

  9. Alagupalamuthirsolai M, Ankegowda SJ, Murugan M, Sivaranjani R, Balaji Rajkumar M, Akshitha HJ. Influence of light intensity on photosynthesis, capsule yield, essential oil and insect pest incidence of small cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton). J Essent Oil Bear Plants. 2019;22(5):1172–1181. doi:10.1080/0972060X.2019.1690587.

  10. Roy S, Balaji Rajkumar M, Misra AK. A pilot study for area-wide management of fruit fly in mango for the central Gangetic plain. J Eco-friendly Agric. 2018;13(2):68–71.

  11. Roy S, Balaji Rajkumar M, Misra AK. Temporal dynamics of mango flower visitors and their contribution in pollination. J Eco-friendly Agric. 2018;13(1):56–59.

  12. Balaji Rajkumar M, Dey D. Diagnostics of a lesser known halictine bee Pseudapis oxybeloides Smith (Halictidae: Nomiinae) from India. J Entomol Res. 2016;40(2):201–206.

  13. Balaji Rajkumar M, Dey D. Identification and description of Indian parasitic bee genus Sphecodes Latreille 1804 (Halictidae: Hymenoptera). J Appl Nat Sci. 2016;8(4):1839–1849. doi:10.31018/jans.v8i4.1051.

  14. Gundappa, Adak T, Balaji Rajkumar M. Variability of thermal indices and peak mango hopper incidence under subtropical conditions. J Agric Phys. 2016;15(2):150–156.

  15. Gundappa, Balaji Rajkumar M, Srivastava K, Singh S. Rearing of mango stem borer Batocera rufomaculata (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera) on artificial diet. Pest Manag Hortic Ecosyst. 2015;21(2):219–220.

  16. Kumar HK, Gundappa, Balaji Rajkumar M, Khan RM. The effect of selected insecticides on the survival and infectivity of Steinernema abbasi (CISH EPN-1) in mango ecosystem. Indian J Nematol. 2015;45(1):52–55.

  17. Punithavalli M, Sharma AN, Balaji Rajkumar M. Seasonal occurrence pattern of common cutworm Spodoptera litura (Fab.) on soybean ecosystem. Phytoparasitica. 2014;42:213–222. doi:10.1007/s12600-013-0354-5.

  18. Punithavalli M, Muthukrishnan NM, Balaji Rajkumar M. Defense responses of rice genotypes for resistance against rice leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee). Rice Sci. 2013;20(5):363–370. doi:10.1016/S1672-6308(13)60149-3.

  19. Punithavalli M, Muthukrishnan NM, Balaji Rajkumar M. Influence of rice genotypes on the folding and spinning behaviour of leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) and its interaction with leaf damage. Rice Sci. 2013;20(6):442–450. doi:10.1016/S1672-6308(13)60154-7.

  20. Rajula ST, Monika S, Nisha S, Surekha, Balaji Rajkumar M, Raj GS, De K, Ramachandran S. Participatory rural appraisal: a holistic approach for getting insight into an agro-ecosystem analysis. Indian Res J Ext Educ. 2013;13(1):1–9.

  1. Life member of Indian Society for Spices (ISS), ICAR-IISR Kozhikode
  2. Life member of Indian Society for Plantation Crops (ISPC), CPCRI, Kasaragod
  3. Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Senior Research Fellowship – 2008-2012.
  4. Received Agriculture Scientist Award, from Dr B V David foundation during 5th international conference held on 29-30, September 2023, at Entomological Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai.

PI

  1. Characterization and evaluation of entomopathogenic fungi for biological control of cardamom root grub  (Institute Funded)

Co-PI

  1. Development of an integrated deep learning and molecular toolbased automated expert system for early detection and identification of major insect pests and vector-transmitted viruses of spice crops (Externally Funded)
  2. Evaluation of new generation insecticides against major pests of spices for registration and label claim expansion  (Institute Funded)
  3. Identification of core collection, characterization, and maintenance of cardamom germplasm  (Institute Funded)
  4. Evolving high yielding, biotic and abiotic stress resistant cardamom lines through selection and hybridization  (Institute Funded)

Book Chapters 

  1. Balaji Rajkumar M, Borase DN, Thorat YE, Berliner J, Punithavalli M, Srivastava KL. In pursuit of modern control strategy: entomopathogens as a potent crusader against white grub pests. In: Srivastava KL, editor. Insect pathology: current principles and methods. 1st ed. 2025. p. 307–329.

  2. Devasahayam S, Jacob TK, Senthil Kumar CM, Balaji Rajkumar M. Insect pests of spices and their management. In: Ravindran PN, Sivaraman K, Devasahayam S, Babu KN, editors. Handbook of spices in India: 75 years of research and development. Singapore: Springer; 2024. doi:10.1007/978-981-19-3728-6_57.

  3. Balaji Rajkumar M, Gundappa B, Tripathi MM, Rajan S. Pests of jackfruit. In: Omkar, editor. Pests and their management. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland AG; 2018. p. 587–604. doi:10.1007/978-981-10-8687-8.

  4. Gundappa B, Balaji Rajkumar M, Singh S, Rajan S. Pests of guava. In: Omkar, editor. Pests and their management. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland AG; 2018. p. 491–516. doi:10.1007/978-981-10-8687-8.

  5. Jacob TK, Senthilkumar CM, Balaji Rajkumar M. Insect pests of selected spice crops. In: Spices of islands: potentials and way forward for profitability. Port Blair (India): ICAR–Central Island Agricultural Research Institute; 2018. p. 215–224.

  6. Saravanan L, Punithavalli M, Balaji Rajkumar M. Integrated pest management in chilli and curry leaf. In: Spices of islands: potentials and way forward for profitability. Port Blair (India): ICAR–Central Island Agricultural Research Institute; 2018. p. 237.

  7. Rai D, Balaji Rajkumar M, Punithavalli M. Insect pests of mango and their management. In: Pandey AK, Mall P, editors. Insect pests management of fruit crops. New Delhi (India): Biotech Books; 2016. p. 19–33.

  8. Rai D, Balaji Rajkumar M, Punithavalli M. Insect pests of guava and their management. In: Pandey AK, Mall P, editors. Insect pests management of fruit crops. New Delhi (India): Biotech Books; 2016. p. 71–82.