G. Ravikanth

Fellow

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
    Dissertation title: "Population genetic structure of important tree species in fragmented habitats in the Central Western Ghats"
    Department of Crop Physiology
    University of Agricultural Sciences,
    GKVK, Bangalore- 560065
  • Master of Science (M.Sc.)

    Dissertation title: Mapping the genetic diversity of rattans in the Central Western Ghats
    Department of Crop Physiology
    University of Agricultural Sciences,
    GKVK, Bangalore- 560065
  • Bachelor of Science (Forestry); B.Sc. (For)

    Forestry College,
    Ponnompet,
    South Kodagu -571216

TRAINING

  • Undergone training on "DNA based marker technologies and its application in Plant Biology" at Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), Oct 3rd - 13, 2001, New Delhi.
  • Undergone training on "Methods in Molecular Ecology" at Centre for DNA fingerprinting and diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderbad, 18-30 Sep, 2006

Research Interests

My current research interests include a) mapping the geographical distribution of some of the rare, endangered and threatened species, b) assessing threats to the genetic resources of these species and develop protocols for their restoration, c) developing molecular markers for some of the critically endangered species d) assessing the genetic diversity of critically endangered , endemic and economically important species and identify hot spots of genetic variability and e) species recovery programs for some of the critically endangered species in the Western Ghats.

Experience

  1. Fellow: Nov 2008 till present
  2. Post Doctoral Fellow: Jan 2004 -Oct 2008,
    Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment,
    Royal Enclave
    Srirampura
    Jakkur Post
    Bangalore-560064
    Area of work: Conservation Genetics
  3. Senior Research Fellow: August 2001 to December 2003
    DBT project on "Mapping genetic diversity of rattans in Central Western Ghats"
    University of Agricultural Sciences,
    GKVK, Bangalore-560065
    Nature of work: Molecular characterization of rattan populations all along Western Ghats.

Affiliations / Positions / Memberships

Grants / Awards / Honors

Grants

  • 2001-2002: Co-PI: - British Petroleum (BP), United Kingdom (Conservation of the Myristica Swamps - the highly threatened and unique ecosystem in the Western Ghats, India)
  • 2004-2006: Co-PI: Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) (Species Recovery program for medicinal plants species in the human-dominated forest landscapes in the Western Ghats, India: towards a concerted approach for the conservation of red listed medicinal plant species
  • 2006-2009: PI: Department of Science and Technology (Measuring the extent of and studying the genetic basis of outbreeding depression in critically endangered tree species: Implications for conservation)
  • 2006-2011: PI: Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi. (Recovery of two critically endangered plant species Hubbardia heptaneuron and Ceropegia fantastica, of Western Ghats through the application of biotechnological tools)
  • 2006-2009: PI:Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi (Species recovery plan for Semecarpus kathalekanensis: a critically endangered fresh-water swamp species of the Western Ghats)
  • 2007-2010: PI: Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi (DNA bar coding of Rattans and Phyllanthus For developing fingerprints, resolving taxonomy and securing IPRs)
  • 2010-2012: PI: Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi (Biotechnological Interventions for conservation and utilization of forest resources)
  • 2008: PI: Mission Biofuels India Pvt Ltd, Mumbai- 76.Genetic variability of Jatropha curcus in few selected populations in India.

Awards

  1. Awarded Senior Research Fellow from Indian Council of Agricultural Research
  2. Awarded Silver award for the project "Conservation of the Myristica Swamps - the highly threatened and unique ecosystem in the Western Ghats, India" by British Petroleum (BP), United Kingdom

Select Publications

PUBLICATIONS IN JOURNALS

  1. P. S. Gurudatt, V. Priti, S. Shweta, B. T. Ramesha, G. Ravikanth, R. Vasudeva, T. Amna, S. Deepika, K. N. Ganeshaiah, R. Uma Shaanker, S. Puri and N. Qazi. 2010. Attenuation of camptothecin production and negative relation between hyphal biomass and camptothecin content in endophytic fungal strains isolated from Nothapodytes nimmoniana Grahm (Icacinaceae).Current Science 98(8):1006-1009
  2. Hemmilä S, Mohana Kumara P, Ravikanth G, S. Gustafsson, R. Vasudeva, Ganeshaiah K.N, Uma Shaanker, R and Lascoux M. 2010. Development of eleven microsatellite markers in the red-listed tree species Myristica malabarica. Conservation Genetic Resources DOI 10.1007/s12686-010-9212-7
  3. Hemmilä S, Lascoux M, Mohana Kumara P, Sreejayan N, R. Vasudeva, Ravikanth G, Ganeshaiah K.N and Uma Shaanker, R. 2010. Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci in the endangered tree species Dysoxylum malabaricum. Molecular Ecology Resources (2010) 10(2): 404-408
  4. Shweta Singh, Sebastian Zuehlke, Ramesha B T, Priti V, Mohana Kumar P, Ravikanth G, Michael Spiteller, Vasudeva R, Uma Shaanker R. 2010. Endophytic fungal strains of Fusarium solani, from Apodytes dimidiata E. Mey. ex Arn (Icacinaceae) produce camptothecin, 10-hydroxycamptothecin and 9-methoxycamptothecin. Phytochemistry 71: 117–122
  5. Mohana Kumara P, Sreejayan N, Priti V, Ramesha B T, Ravikanth G, Ganeshaiah K. N, Vasudeva R, Mohan J, Santhoshkumar T, M P Dutt, R Viswakarma, Uma Shaanker R. 2009. Dysoxylum binectariferum Hook.f (Meliaceae), a rich source of rohitukine. Fitoterapia 81(2):145-148
  6. V. Priti, B. T. Ramesha, Shweta Singh, G. Ravikanth, K. N. Ganeshaiah, T. S. Suryanarayanan and R. Uma Shaanker. 2009. How promising are endophytic fungi as alternative sources of plant secondary metabolites? Current Science Vol 97 (4): 477-478
  7. R. Raghavendra, Priti Vaidyanathan, H. K. Swathi, B. T. Ramesha, G. Ravikanth, K. N. Ganeshaiah, A. Srikrishna and R. Uma Shaanker. 2009. Prospecting for alternate sources of shikimic acid, a precursor of Tamiflu, a bird-flu drug. Current Science, Vol 96 (6): 771-772
  8. Sumangala R. C., Naveen Kumar L., Ramesha B. T, Uma Shaanker R, Ganeshaiah K. N and Ravikanth G. 2009. Development of micro satellite markers for a critically endangered species, Ceropegia fantastica from the Western Ghats, India. Conservation Genetics 10(6): 1825-1827
  9. G. Ravikanth, M. Nageswara Rao, B. S. Deepali Singh, Chaluvaraju •K. N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2008. Contrasting spatial patterns of distribution of genetic diversity in two important bamboo species in the central Western Ghats, India. Journal of Bamboo and Rattan 7(1&2): 41-52
  10. B. T. Ramesha, R. Srirama, G. Ravikanth, K. V. Ravishankar, S. Dayanandan, N. Sreejayan, R. Vasudeva, K. N. Ganeshaiah and R. Uma Shaanker. 2008. Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci in Nothapodytes nimmoniana, a medicinally important tree from the Western Ghats, India. Molecular Ecology Resources, 9(1):365-367
  11. Srirama R, Ramesha B. T , Ravikanth G, Ganeshaiah K. N and Uma Shaanker R. 2008. Are plants with anti-cancer activity resistant to crown gall?: a test of hypothesis. Current Science, 95(10):1407-1408
  12. B.T. Ramesha, T. Amna, G. Ravikanth, Rajesh P. Gunaga, R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah, R. Uma Shaanker, K. Khajuria, S.C. Puri and G.N. Qazi. 2008. Prospecting for Camptothecines from Nothapodytes nimmoniana in theWestern Ghats, South India: Identification of High-Yielding Sources of Camptothecin and New Families of Camptothecines. Journal of Chromatographic Science,46:362-368
  13. Nageswara Rao. M, Ramesha. B.T, Ravikanth.G, Ganeshaiah, K.N and Uma Shaanker, R. 2007. Cross- Species amplification of coconut microsatellite markers in rattans. Silvae Genetica 56(6):282-286
  14. Aravind K, Ravikanth G, Uma Shaanker R, Chandrashekara, K, Kumar, A.R.V and Ganeshaiah, K.N. 2007. DNA Barcoding: An Exercise in Futility or Utility? Current Science 92(9):1213-1216
  15. Suhas S, Ramesha B. T, Ravikanth G, Rajesh P. Gunaga, Vasudeva R, Ganeshaiah K. N and, Uma Shaanker R. 2007. Chemical profiling of Nothapodytes nimmoniana populations in the Western Ghats, India for anti-cancer compound, camptothecin ?Current Science 92(8):1142-1148
  16. Ramesha. B.T, Ravikanth.G, Nageswara Rao. M, Ganeshaiah, K.N and Uma Shaanker, R. 2007. Genetic structure of rattan, Calamus thwaitesii in core, and buffer and peripheral regions of three protected areas at central Western Ghats, India: Do protected areas serve as refugia for genetic resources of economically important plants? Journal of Genetics 86(1):9-18
  17. Aravind N.A, Bhausaheb Tambat, Ravikanth. G, Uma Shaanker. R and Ganeshaiah K.N. 2007. Patterns of species discovery in Western Ghats. Journal of Biosciences 32(4):781-790
  18. Lyngdoh. N, Santosh.S.Hantode, Ramesha B.T2, Nageswara Rao. M, Ravikanth.G, Narayani Barve, Ganeshaiah K.N and Uma Shaanker R. 2005. Rattan species richness and population genetic structure of Calamus flagellum in North-Eastern Himalaya, India. Journal of Bamboo and Rattans 4(3):293-307
  19. Bhausaheb Tambat., Rajanikanth.G, Ravikanth. G, Uma Shaanker. R., Ganeshaiah K.N and C.G Kushallappa 2005. Seedling mortality in two Vulnerable tree species in the sacred groves of Western Ghats, south India. Current Science 88(3):350-352
  20. Ravikanth, G., R. Vasudeva, Ganeshaiah K.N. and Uma Shaanker.R., 2004. Molecular analysis of Semecarpus kathalekanensis (Anacardiaceae) - a newly described species from the Myristica swamps of Western Ghats, India. The Indian Forester 130(1):101-104.
  21. Ravikanth,G., K.N Ganeshaiah and R.Uma Shaanker., 2002. Identification of hot spots of species richness and genetic variability in rattans: an approach using geographical information systems (GIS) and molecular tools. Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter 132:17:21.
  22. Ravikanth, G. 2001. IF- A case of richness in poverty. Current Science, Vol 80(2):116
  23. Ravikanth,G., R.Uma Shaanker and K.N Ganeshaiah., 2000. Conservation Status of forests in India: a cause for worry? Journal of Indian Institute Science 80(6):591-600.

AS CHAPTER IN BOOKS

  1. 1. Ravikanth.G, Nageswara Rao.M., Ganeshaiah K.N.,. and Uma Shaanker.R., 2009. Genetic diversity of NTFP species: issues and implications. Pp.53-64 In: Non-Timber Forest Products Conservation, Management and Policies. R. Uma Shaanker, Ankila J. Hiremath, Gladwin C. Joseph and Nitin Rai(Eds). Published by Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore and Forestry Research Support Program for Asia and the Pacific, Food and Agriculture Organisation, Bangkok.
  2. R. Uma Shaanker, B.T. Ramesha, Ravikanth G., R. Gunaga, R. Vasudeva and K.N. Ganeshaiah, 2008. Chemical Profiling of Nothapodytes nimmoniana for Camptothecin, an Important Anticancer Alkaloid: Toward the Development of a Sustainable Production System. Pp 197-213. In Bioactive Molecules and Medicinal Plants. Ramawat KG, Merillon JM (eds.) Springer Publishing, UK
  3. Uma Shaanker.R., Ganeshaiah K.N., Nageswara Rao.M. and Ravikanth.G., 2002, Forest gene banks - a new integrated approach for the conservation of forest tree genetic resources, pp 229-235, In: Managing Plant Genetic Resources, Engels, J.M.M., Brown, A.H.D. and Jackson, M.T. (eds), CABI Publishing, Nosworthy. Wallingford. Oxon. UK
  4. Ravikanth, G., Ganeshaiah K.N. and Uma Shaanker.R. 2001, Mapping genetic diversity of rattans in Central Western Ghats: Identification of hot-spots of variability for in situ conservation. pp 69-83, In: Forest genetic resources: Status, threats and conservation strategies, Uma Shaanker, R., Ganeshaiah, K.N. and Bawa, K.S. (eds), Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.
  5. Cheluvaraju, Deepali Singh, B.S., Nageswara Rao. M., Ravikanth, G., Ganeshaiah K.N. and Uma Shaanker.R., 2001 Conservation of Bamboo Genetic Resources in Western Ghats: Status, Threats and Strategies, pp 99-113, In: Forest genetic resources: Status, threats and conservation strategies, Uma Shaanker, R., Ganeshaiah, K.N. and Bawa, K.S. (eds), Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd
  6. Uma Shaanker.R., Ganeshaiah K.N., Nageswara Rao.M. and Ravikanth.G., 2001, A new approach to conservation of genetic resources of forest trees: promise and processes. pp 263-271. In: Forest genetic resources: Status, threats and conservation strategies, Uma Shaanker, R., Ganeshaiah, K.N. and Bawa, K.S. (eds), Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd

IN PROCEEDINGS

  1. Uma Shaanker.R., Ganeshaiah K.N., Nageswara Rao.M. and Ravikanth.G. 2003. Genetic diversity of NTFP species: issues and implications. In: Proceedings of the conference on "Policies, Management, Utilization and Conservation of Non-Timber Forest Producta(NTFP's) in the south Asia Region. Ankila J. Hiremath, Gladwin C. Joseph and R. Uma Shaanker (Eds). Published by Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore and Forestry Research Support Program for Asia and the Pacific, Food and Agriculture Organisation, Bangkok.
  2. R. Vasudeva , H. B. Raghu, P. G. Suraj, Ravikanth. G, R. Uma Shaanker and K. N. Ganeshaiah., 2003, Can we restore critically endangered tree species of the Western Ghats through recovery plans? In: Proceedings of the workshop on Conservation and Research needs of the Rare, Endangered and Threathened (RET) tree species in Kerala part of the Western Ghats. Jose Kallarackal, K. Swarupanandan and J.K. Sharma (Eds). Published by Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur, Kerala.
  3. Tambat. B.S, Channamallikarjuna, Rajanikanth.G, Ravikanth.G Uma Shaanker.R. and Ganeshaiah K.N., 2001, Biological Diversity and Invasion: Testing the invasion theory, pp 121-124 (Supplement -1), In: Proceedings of International Conference on Tropical Ecosystems: Structure, Diversity, and Human Welfare. Ganeshaiah, K.N., Uma Shaanker, R. and Bawa, K.S. (eds), Oxford and IBH Publications, New Delhi
  4. Tambat. B.S, Channamallikarjuna, Rajanikanth.G, Ravikanth. G, C.G Kushallappa, Uma Shaanker.R. and Ganeshaiah K.N., 2001, Fragment sizes and diversity of species assemblages in sholas and sacred groves: are small fragments any worth pp 314--316, In: Proceedings of International Conference on Tropical Ecosystems: Structure, Diversity, and Human Welfare. Ganeshaiah, K.N., Uma Shaanker, R. and Bawa, K.S. (eds), Oxford and IBH Publications, New Delhi.
  5. M. Nageswara Rao, G. Ravikanth, K. N. Ganeshaiah, T.S. Rathore and R. Uma Shaanker. 2007 Assessing threats and identifying the ecological niche of sandal resources to identify 'hot-spots' for in-situ conservation in Southern India Pp 23-31. In Proceedings of National Seminar on Conservation, Improvement, Cultivation and Management of Sandal. Suresh Gairola, T.S Rathore, Geetha Joshi, A.N. Arun Kumar and Pankaj K. Aggarwal (eds.)Published by Wood Science and Technology Institute, Bangalore, India

Others

  • Recognized PhD guide, Mani pal University

Current Research Projects

  • Recovery of two critically endangered plant species Hubbardia heptaneuron and Ceropegia fantastica, of Western Ghats through the application of biotechnological tools. Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi.
  • Biotechnological Interventions for conservation and utilization of forest resources. Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi
  • DNA bar coding of Rattans and Phyllanthus: For developing fingerprints, resolving taxonomy and securing IPRs. Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi.

Contact

gravikanth(at)atree(dot)org, gravikanth(at)gmail(dot)com