Designation: -  Principal Scientist (Plant Biotechnology)

Email ID: - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Official phone number: - 04024591285

Google scholar link:- https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=C+N+Neeraja&oq=c+n

Research gate link:- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Neeraja-Chirravuri

ORCID link: 0000-0002-2418-986X

Educational Qualification: -

B.Sc (Botany, Zoology & Chemistry) 1988 Andhra University;

B.Ed (Education - Biology, English) 1989 Andhra University,

M.Sc. (Plant Sciences) 1992 (Gold Medal) University of Hyderabad.

Employment Record / Work Experience:-
2009-till date, Principal Scientist, Biotechnology Section, IIRR, Hyderabad;

2004-2009, Senior Scientist, Biotechnology Section, DRR, Hyderabad;

2004-2005 Post-Doctoral Fellow Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology Division, IRRI;

2002-2004 Scientist (Senior Scale), Biotechnology Section, DRR, Hyderabad;

1999-2002, Scientist (Senior Scale), National Professor Project of Prof.E.A.Siddiq – DRR, Hyderabad;

1995-1999, Scientist, Biotechnology Section, IGFRI, Jhansi; 1992-1995, Junior Research Fellow, Biotechnology Section, DRR, Hyderabad.

Area research specialization: -  Rice - Molecular Breeding and Biotechnology for Biofortification, Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Grain filling.

Important projects under taken:-

ICAR CRP on ‘Biofortification in selected crops for nutritional security’ ;

UKRI Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) for South Asian Nitrogen Hub (SANH);

IRRI: Breeding for High Zinc Rice; DBT Network project 'Mainstreaming rice landraces diversity in varietal development through genome wide association studies: A model for large-scale utilization of gene bank collections of rice';

NASF Network: “Deciphering and deploying low phosphorus tolerance and nitrogen use efficiency in rice using targeted genomics approach” to NASF

Award and Honors: -  DBT CREST Award 2013-14

Foreign Visits:- 

One month training program on GWAS analyses at University of Aberdeen, UK  from 23.04.2018 to 22.05.2018
One week exposure visit to Germany – to nine research institutes  sponsored by Departure of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, New Delhi from 07.11.2016  to 11.11.2016
DBT CREST fellowship Conservation Biotechnology 2013-2014 University of Aberdeen
Post Doctoral Fellow Molecular Breeding 2004-2005 International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Technologies/Products/Varieties/Novel germplasm/Methodologies developed:- 
Associated with development of seven varieties viz.,

1. DRR Dhan 63 (Biofortified);

2. DRR Dhan 58;

3. DRR Dhan 45 (Biofortified);

4. Surabhi (Biofortified);

5. DRR Dhan 58 (Phosphorus use efficient);

6. DRR Dhan 64 (Phsosphorus use efficient) and

7. Swarna-SUB1.
Four genetic stocks:

INGR22064 Chittimuthyalu for high grain zinc;

INGR22067 RP6252-BV/RIL/1705 for Nitogen Use Efficiency;

INGR21118 IET25443 for high grain zinc and

INGR20001 GQ25 for high heat tolerance

Patents/copyrights: -

Student Guided: - 

K Suman, Osmania University, Ph D, 2022; Wilfred Jr Binata Barrera, DST FICCI ASEAN –India, Fellowship, 2019;

Anurag Uttam, DST SERB, PDF, 2019;

P Madhu Babu, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Ph D, 2019;

I Subhakara Rao, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Ph D, 2018;

B Srikanth – JNTU, Hyderabad, Ph D, 2017;

P Balaji Suresh – Acharya Nagarjuna University, Ph D, 2014,

Nidhi Rawat - Osmania University, Hyderabad, Ph D, 2011and

50 M Sc Students.

Editors/Reviewers of the Journals:- Reviewer for Rice Science, Molecular Breeding, Euphytica, BMC Genomics, Scientific Reports, Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Frontiers in Genetics, Frontiers in Plant Science, Rice, PLOSone, Genetic Resources of Crop Evolution, Associate Editor for SABRAO Journal of Genetics 2005-2020.

Member of Scientific Society: - Society of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Society of Indian Genetics and Plant Breeding, Society of Advancement of Rice Research, Society of Advancement for Wheat and Barley Research, Association of Rice Research Workers.

Training Organized: -

Training program on Quality and Nutritional Aspects, ICAR – CRP Biofortification2015;

Training course on Molecular Breeding for Rice Improvement, ICAR-NAIP 2012;

Training Course on Marker-assisted selection in Rice, ICAR, 2008;

Training Course on Molecular markers and transgenics for precision breeding in rice, ICAR, 2006;

Hands on Training Course - Course Co-Coordinator Advances in Marker-assisted Selection Workshop, IRRI, 2005.

Training Undergone:-

Training on Genetic mapping in rice –GWAS analyses – University of Aberdeen, UK 23.04.2018 to 22.05.2018
One month training for Advanced Techno-Management DST - Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) from 27.10.2014 to 28.11.2014.

Publications (Top 30):-
1. Uttam, G.A.; Suman, K.; Jaldhani, V.; Babu, P.M.; Rao, D.S.; Sundaram, R.M.; Neeraja, C.N. Identification of Genomic Regions Associated with High Grain Zn Content in Polished Rice Using Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS). Plants 2023, 12, 144. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12010144
2. Neeraja, C.N., Hossain, F., Hariprasanna, K., Ram, S., Satyavathi, C.T., Longvah, T., Raghu, P., Voleti, S.R. and Sundaram, R.M., 2022. Towards nutrition security of India with biofortified cereal varieties. Current Science, 123(3), p.271.
3. Barrera, W. B., Bej, S., Surapaneni, M., Sundaram, R. M., & Neeraja, C. N. (2022). Promising rice genotypes with enhanced root growth and HMA transporter gene expression under zinc deficient conditions. Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 1-8.
4. Longvah T, Anitha Chauhan, Sreedhar Mudavath, Bhaskar Varanasi, and C N Neeraja. 2022. Nutrient variability of rice landraces (Oryza sativa L.) from Manipur, Northeast India and its nutrients supply potential in rice-based diets. Nutrition & Food science. 10.1108/nfs-10-2021-0296
5. CN Neeraja, Kalyani M Barbadikar, T Krishnakanth, Sonali Bej, I Subhakara Rao, B Srikanth, D Sanjeeva Rao, D Subrahmanyam, P Raghuveer Rao and S R Voleti. 2021. Down regulation of transcripts involved in selective metabolic pathways as an acclimation strategy in nitrogen use efficient genotype of rice under low nitrogen. 3 Biotech. 11:80 (IF-2.406) doi: 10.1007/s13205-020-02631-5
6. Suman K, Neeraja C N, Madhubabu P, Santosha Rathod, Sonali Bej, Jadhav K P Aravind Kumar J, Chaitanya U, Smita C Pawar, Surekha H Rani, Subbarao L V, Voleti S R. (2021). Identification of Promising RILs for High Grain Zinc through Genotype x Environment Analysis and Stable Grain Zinc QTL using SSRs and SNPs in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Front. Plant Sci. | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.587482(IF-4.407)
7. Azam, M.M., Padmavathi, S., Fiyaz, R.A., Waris, A., Ramya, K.T. and Neeraja, C.N., 2021. Effect of different cooking methods on loss of iron and zinc micronutrients in fortified and non-fortified rice. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 28(5), pp.2886-2894. DOI:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.02.021
8. Móring, A., Hooda, S., Raghuram, N., Adhya, T.K., Ahmad, A., Bandyopadhyay, S.K., Barsby, T., Beig, G., Bentley, A.R., Bhatia, A. and Dragosits, U., Drewer J, Foulkes J, Ghude SD, Gupta R, Jain N, Kumar D, Kumar RM, Ladha JK, Mandal PK, Neeraja CN, Pandey R, Pathak H, Pawar P, Pellny TK, Poole P, Price A, Rao DLN, Reay DS, Singh NK, Sinha SK, Srivastava RK, Shewry P, Smith J, Steadman CE, Subrahmanyam D, Surekha K, Venkatesh K, Varinderpal-Singh, Uwizeye A, Vieno M and Sutton MA 2021. Nitrogen challenges and opportunities for agricultural and environmental science in India. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5:505347. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.505347
9. Neeraja, C.N., Barbadikar, K.M., Mangrauthia, S.K., Rao, P.R., Subrahmanayam, D. and Sundaram, R.M., 2021. Genes for NUE in rice: a way forward for molecular breeding and genome editing. Plant Physiology Reports, 26(4), pp.587-599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40502-021-00632-x
10. Sharma, N., Sinha, V.B., Prem Kumar, N.A., Subrahmanyam, D., Neeraja, C.N., Kuchi, S., Jha, A., Parsad, R., Sitaramam, V. and Raghuram, N., 2021. Nitrogen use efficiency phenotype and associated genes: roles of germination, flowering, root/shoot length and biomass. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, p.2329 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.587464
11. Shivani, D., Neeraja, C.N., Cheralu, C. and Shankar, V.G., 2021. Multivariate analysis and character association studies for yield and nutritional characters in swarna and type 3 RIL population of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Journal of Cereal Research, 13(2):180-187. http:// doi.org/10.25174/2582-2675/2021/113440
12. Sundaram, R.M., Anila, M., Barbadikar, K.M., Mangrauthia,, S.K. Raghuveer Rao, P., Subrahmanyam, D., Voleti, S.R., Surekha, K., Subba Rao, L.V., Neeraja, C.N. and Mahender Kumar, R. (2021). Innovations for tapping genetic potential and agronomic efficiencies of crops: Rice, Indian Journal of Agronomy 66 (5th IAC Special issue): S191-S200 NAAS Rating: 5.55; ISI Impact Factor: 0.572).
13. Rao SBN, Suman K, Neeraja CN, Raman Meenakshi Sundaram, Nalina M, Chandrasekharaiah,  Parthipan MS, Soren NM 2021. Nutritional evaluation of different rice (Oryza sativa) straw of bio-fortified varieties, bio-fortified breeding lines and breeding lines, Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 92 (3): 390–393.
14. Vishnukiran T, Neeraja CN, Jaldhani V, Vijayalakshmi P, Raghuveer Rao P, Subrahmanyam D, et al. (2020) A major pleiotropic QTL identified for yield components and nitrogen content in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under differential nitrogen field conditions. PLoS ONE 15(10): e0240854. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0240854(IF-3.240)
15. Babu PM, Neeraja CN, Rathod S,Suman K, Uttam GA, Chakravartty N,Lachagari VBR, Chaitanya U, Rao LVSand Voleti SR (2020) Stable SNP Allele Associations With High Grain Zinc Content in Polished Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Identified Based on ddRAD Sequencing. Front. Genet. 11:763. (IF-3.789) https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.00763
16. Sonali Bej, CN Neeraja, Krishna Kanth T, K Suman, Kalyani M Barbadikar and SR Voleti (2020). Correlation of expressional pattern of Ubiquitin activating gene with grain Fe content in rice. Oryza Vol. 57 Issue No. 3, 2020 (251-259). DOI:10.35709/ory.2020.57.3.10
17. G Anusha, D Sanjeeva Rao, V Jaldhani, P Beulah, CN Neeraja, C Gireesh, MS Anantha, K Suneetha, R Santhosha, AS Hari Prasad, RM Sundaram, M Sheshu Madhav, A Fiyaz, P Brajendra, MD Tuti, MHV Bhave, KV Radha Krishna, J Ali, D Subrahmanyam, P Senguttuvel (2021). Grain Fe and Zn content, heterosis, combining ability and its association with grain yield in irrigated and aerobic rice. Scientific Reports.11 (1)1-12(IF-3.999)  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90038-4
18. D Sanjeeva Rao, C N Neeraja*, P. Madhu Babu, B. Nirmala, K. Suman, L. V. Subba Rao, K. Surekha, P. Raghu, T. Longvah, P. Surendra, Rajesh Kumar,V. Ravindra Babu and S. R. Voleti 2020 Zinc Biofortified Rice Varieties: Challenges, Possibilities, and Progress in India. Frontiers in Nutrition doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00026
19. Haritha Bollinedi, A K Yadav, K K Vinod, S Gopala Krishnan, P K Bhowmick, M Nagarajan, C N Neeraja, R K Ellur and A K Singh. 2020. Genome-Wide Association Study reveals novel Marker-Trait Associations (MTAs) governing the localization of Fe and Zn in the rice grain. Frontiers in Genetics doi: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00213
20. Neeraja CN, Kulkarni KS, Madhu Babu P, Sanjeeva Rao D, Surekha K, Ravindra Babu V, (2018) Transporter genes identified in landraces associated with high zinc in polished rice through panicle transcriptome for biofortification. PLoS ONE 13(2): e0192362. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192362
21. I Subhakara Rao , C N Neeraja*, B Srikanth , D Subramanyam , K N Swamy , K Rajesh , P Vijayalakshmi , T Vishnu Kiran , N Sailaja , P Revathi , P Raghuveer Rao , L V Subba Rao , K Surekha , V Ravindra Babu and S R Voleti. 2018. Identification of rice landraces with promising yield and the associated genomic regions under low nitrogen - Scientific Reports 8:9200 DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-27484-0
22. Vijayalakshmi Pujarula,  Vishnukiran Turaga,  Ramana kumari Basava, Srikanth Bollam, Subhakarrao  Isety,  Swamy KN, Subbarao LV, Raghuveer Rao Pusukuru, Subrahmanyam Desiraju, Neeraja CN, Voleti Sitapati Rao (2015). Biochemical and physiological characterization for nitrogen use efficiency in aromatic rice genotypes. Field Crops Research 179:132–143
23. B. Srikanth, I. Subhakara Rao, K. Surekha, D. Subrahmanyam, S.R. Voleti, C.N. Neeraja. Enhanced expression of OsSPL14 gene and its association with yield components in rice (Oryza sativa) under low nitrogen conditions. Gene (2015), volume 576, 441-450. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2015.10.062.
24. Balaji Suresh P, B Srikanth, VH Kishore, I Subhakara Rao, LR Vemireddy, N Dharika, RM Sundaram, MS Ramesha, KRS Sambasivarao, BC Viraktamath and CN Neeraja*. Fine mapping of Rf3 and Rf4 fertility restorer loci of WA-CMS of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and validation of the developed marker system for identification of restorer lines. 2012. Euphytica 187:421–435*
25. Rawat N, CN Neeraja, S Nair and JS Bentur. 2012. Differential gene expression in gall midge susceptible rice genotypes revealed by suppressive subtraction hybridization (SSH) cDNA libraries and microarray analysis. Rice. 5:8  DOI:10.1186/1939-8433-5-8
26. Rawat N, CN Neeraja, RM Sundaram, S Nair and JS Bentur. 2012.A novel mechanism of gall midge resistance in the rice variety ‘Kavya’ revelaed by  microarray analysis. Functional and Integrative Genomics 12:249–264
27. Singh N, TTM Dang, GV Vergara, DM Pandey, D Sanchez, CN Neeraja, EM Septiningsih, M Mendioro, EM Tecson-Mendoza, IM Abdelbagi, DJ Mackill and S Heuer. 2010. Molecular marker survey and expression analyses of the rice submergence-tolerance gene SUB1A. Theor Appl Genet.121: 1441-1453
28. CN Neeraja, V Lakshmi Narayana Reddy, S Malathi and EA Siddiq. 2009. Identification of alternate dwarfing gene sources to widely used Dee-Gee-Woo-Gen allele of sd1 gene by molecular and biochemical assays in rice (Oryza sativa L.) Electronic Journal of Biotechnology 12 (3) 11pages
29. Septiningsih  EM, AM Pamplona, DL Sanchez, CN Neeraja, GV Vergara, S Heuer, AM Ismail and DJ Mackill. 2009. Development of submergence-tolerant rice cultivars: the Sub1 locus and beyond. Annals of Botany. 103: 151-160
30. Neeraja CN, R Maghirang-Rodriguez, A Pamplona, S Heuer, BCY Collard, EMSeptiningsih, G Vergara, D Sanchez, AM Ismail and DJ Mackill. 2007. A marker-assisted backcross approach for developing submergence-tolerant rice cultivars. Theor Appl Genet. 115: 767-776

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