Rakesh Kumar Singh

RK Singh has expertise on breeding rice varieties for salt-affected soils. Pioneer for release of first ever salt tolerant rice variety CSR10 by CVRC in country and later about 10 more (CSR13, CSR23, CSR27, CSR36 and CSR43 as some of them) were released. Also pioneer to develop and release first ever sodicity tolerant 'Basmati CSR 30' (nominee recognized by ICAR/GOI). Led IRRI salinity breeding program and facilitated the development of > two dozen salt-tolerant and rainfed lowland rice varieties in Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. First to develop multiple stress tolerant (salinity + submergence) rice genotypes using MAS those are already released in Bangladesh and Philippines in 2016. Revived Indian salinity breeding network in (2008) and continued until 2018. Coordinated rice breeding activities for salt-affected areas in world from IRRI, developed permanent mapping populations for salinity stress (seedling and reproductive stage), Zn deficiency and Fe toxicity. Developed first MAGIC population in rice and still in-charge for world-wide seed requirements for MAGIC populations. Standardized screening protocols for salinity at seedling and reproductive stage, sodicity screening in solution culture and iron-toxicity tolerance. Maximum rice under salt-affected area in India is from the varieties developed by nominee. Honoured with many national and international awards. My work was recognised by the highest Indian Agricultural Organisation (National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India) and conferred as National Fellow of the society. I joined International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (Dubai)as Principal Scientist and Program Leader of Crop Diversification and Genetics from mid-November 2018.