R Asokan

R Asokan
Consultant
Contact: r [dot] asokan [at] tigs [dot] res [dot] in

Education

• Ph.D. Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, 2004
• M.Sc. (Ag.) Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India, 1987

Experience

• Principal Scientist, ICAR – Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru – 2009 – 2025
• Senior Scientist, ICAR – Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru – 2004 – 2009
• Scientist (SS), ICAR – Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru – 1997 – 2004
• Scientist, ICAR – Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru – 1991 – 1997

Expertise

• CRISPR/Cas9, Cas12a, Cas13a, Base editing & Prime Editing
• RNAi (dsRNA, miRNA)
• DNA Barcoding, Molecular phylogeny

Honors and Awards:

• Fulbright – Nehru Academic and Research Excellence Award 2020-2021
• Dr. B.V. David Award 2018
• Professor T. N. Anantha krishnan Award – 2017 conferred by Dr. M. S. Swaminathan on February 23rd, 2017
• XIX Sukumar Basu Memorial Award – 2016 conferred by the Honourable President of India on February 5th, 2016.

Elected Fellowships

• Fellow of the Association of Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems – 2012, IIHR, Bengaluru
• Founding Member, Association of Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, Bengaluru

Latest Publications

• C.N. Anu, K. Ashok, C.N. Bhargava, D. Yogi, M. Manamohan, G.K. Jha and R. Asokan*. 2024. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated validation of spermatogenesis‐related gene, tssk2 as a component of genetic pest management of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Archives in Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, DOI: 10.1002/arch.22121
• M.S. Parvathy, K. Ashok, Pradeep, C, D. Yogi, S.N. Nagesh, C.N. Anu, T.M. Vinay Kumar, Bhargava, C.N, T. Shashikala, K. Subhakaran, M. Manamohan and R. Asokan*. 2024. CRISPR/Cas9 Ribo nucleoprotein complex-mediated editing of the OBP13 gene affected the response of male Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) to methyl eugenol, Journal of Applied Entomology, DOI: 10.1111/jen.13272
• C.N. Bhargava, K. Ashok, R. Asokan*, K. Prasad Babu, M.S. Parvathy, D. Yogi, T. Shashikala, R. K. Chiranth, U. Ashok and C.G. Harsha. 2024. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated editing of the white (wh) locus affects body size affects body size and reproduction of the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). Agricultural Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40003-024-00731-9.
• S. K. Pradhan, Jennifer, L.M, Stephen, R.S, Ashok, K, Ellango, R, Shivanna, B, Manamohan, R. Asokan, R, Markus, R. 2024. RNA virus diversity and prevalence in the field and laboratory populations of melon fly throughout its distribution. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2024.108117
• K. Ashok, C.N. Bhargava, R. Asokan*, C. Pradeep, J.S. Kennedy, M.Manamohan, Anil Rai. 2023. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated mutagenesis of the major sex pheromone gene, acyl-CoA delta-9 desaturase (DES9) in Fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). International Journal of Biological Macromolecules,https://doi.org/10.1016/ijbiomac.2023.126557
• A. K. Yadav, R. Asokan, A. Yamamoto, A. A. Patil and M.J. Scott. 2023. Expansion of the genetic toolbox for manipulation of the global crop pest, Drosophila suzukii: Isolation and assessment of eye colour mutant strains. Insect Molecular Biology, DOI: 10.1111/imb.12879.
• K. Ashok, C. N. Bhargava, R. Asokan*, C. Pradeep, S. K. Pradhan, J. S. Kennedy, V. Balasubramani, M. Murugan, M. Jayakanthan, V. Geethalakshmi and M. Manamohan. 2023. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated editing of pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) gene disrupts mating in the Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). 3 Biotech, 13:370. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-023-03798-3
• K. Ravindiran, K. Ashok, C. N. Bhargava, T. Venkatesan, K. Subaharan, Yogi Dhawane and R. Asokan*. 2023. Effectiveness of chitosan nanohydrogel mediated encapsulation of EcR dsRNA against the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Asia-I (Gennedius) (Hemiptera: Aleyordidae). Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pestbp.2023.105712.
• V. Varun Rajan, Hemant Kumar, M.S. Parvathy, C. N. Bhargava, K. Ashok, Sanjay K Pradan, C. N. Anu, R. Aravintharaj and R. Asokan*. 2023. Modifying the egg laying behaviour of the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) to obtain uniform G0 eggs for microinjection. Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, 29: 13-20. (DOI Number:10.5958/0974-4541.2023.00002.4)
• S.K. Pradhan, K. Ashok, C.N. Bhargava, M.S. Parvathy, C.N. Anu, C. Pradeep, Yogi Dhawane, B. Shivanna, Markus Riegler, M. Manamohan and R. Asokan*. 2023. Embryonic microinjection of ribonucleoprotein complex (Cas9+sgRNA) of white gene in melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) produced white eye phenotype. Archives in Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, 2023;e22059, https://doi.org/10.1002/arch.22059.
• S. K. Pradhan, K. Ashok, M.S. Parvathy, C.N. Bhargava, B. Shivanna, Markus Riegler and R. Asokan*. 2023. Comparative analyses of age-stage, two-sex life table and host preference of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) on different hosts. Animal Biology, DOI 10.1163/15707563-bja10114.
• S. K. Pradhan, R. Asokan and B. Shivanna. 2023. Cloning of white gene of the melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera : Tephritidae) and in vitro restriction analysis of different single guide RNAs (sgRNAs). Mysore Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 57(2): 317-326.
• C.N. Bhargava, K. Ashok, R. Asokan*, M. Manamohan and Anil Rai. 2023. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of sex lethal (sxl) gene impacts fertility of the Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Archives in Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, Doi:10.1002/arch/22035
• W. Rohan, K. Ashok, R. Asokan*, C. N. Bhargava, C. Pradeep, D. Yogi, S. Sampath Kumar, M. Manamohan and Anil Rai. 2023. CRISPR/Cas9 editing of transformer-2 gene of the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) leads to intersex phenotype. Journal of Asia Pacific Entomology, https://doi.org/10.016/j.aspen.2023.102105
• Ashok, K., Bhargava, C.N., R. Asokan*, Pradeep, C., Kennedy, J.S., Rai, A., Manamohan, M. 2023. First report on the utility of pupal case for early determination of CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein mediated genomic edits in the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Tephritidae: Diptera). Archives in Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, e22024, https://doi.org/10.1002/arch.22024.
• K. Ashok, C. N. Bhargava, K. Prasad Babu, Rohan Wishard, M. Manamohan, Anil Rai, K. P. Sanjay, M.S. Parvathy, J. S. Kennedy, R. Asokan*. 2023. First report of CRISPR/Cas9 mediated editing of the eye colour gene, Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase gene in egg plant fruit and shoot borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Journal of Asia Pacific Entomology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aspen.2022.102031
• N. R. Prasannakumar, N. Jyothi, K. Prasadbabu, G. Ramkumar, R. Asokan, S. Saroja, and V. Sridhar. 2023. Evidence based insecticide resistance in South American tomato leaf miner, Phthorimaea absoluta (Meyrick) under laboratory selection. Bulletin of Entomological Research, https://doi.org/10.1017/ S0007485323000081