1. Integrated management of Fusarium wilt disease (Foc R1) in traditional varieties of banana-PI
   
2. Survey, etiology and management of Rhizome rot of banana - Co-PI
3. Investigation on Musa nematodes Diversity biology, behavior, and their interactions –CO-PI

1. CGIAR/ Bioversity International sponsored project INIT– Plant Health and Rapid Response to Protect Food Security and Livelihoods (Sub project - Integrated management of Fusarium wilt tropical race 4 affecting banana) - PI
   

Ø  Collected and characterized more than 300 isolates of Foc present in India and identified the presence of 13 different strains of Foc.

Ø  Characterized the leaf spot pathogens of India and identified the presence of five different strains and also the presence of eumusae leaf spot and not Sigatoka leaf spot disease in India.

Ø  Screened more than 300 germplasm accessions and identified 50-60 banana accessions found resistant to Foc R1 and TR4.

Ø  Made first report of occurrence of Foc R1 and Tropical race 4 infecting Cavendish banana and corm rot disease caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in India.

Ø  Developed diagnostics specific to Indian Focraces and eumusae leaf spot pathogen.

Ø  Developed consortia of bioagents for the management of Fusarium wilt, leaf spot and post-harvest diseases.

Ø Identified bioagents Trichoderma asperellum and a principal compound which can increase the shelf life of banana up to 70 days.

Ø  Developed spray schedule programme involving mineral oil and fungicides for the management of leaf spot disease at national level.

Ø  Developed cheaper, farmer and ecofriendly method of mass production and delivery system (bio-solid and bio liquid) for the Fusarium wilt and eumusae and post-harvest disease suppressive biocontrol agents

1.          Jawaharlal Nehru award for the best Ph. D research (Gold medal cash prize and citation) 

2.         Chief Minister (TN) best writer award -2009 in Agriculture

3.         Dr.A.K. Sarbhoy Memorial Award by IPS, New Delhi

4.        Biotechnology overseas associateship award by DBT

5.       Cold Chain Award of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) from the Governor of Maharashtra

6.        Certificate of Appreciation by the Govt of Kerala

7.        Certificate of Appreciation by the Govt of Kerala

8.        Outstanding contribution to Science Award

9.        Outstanding Scientist Award by SBER

10.        CHAI-APPRECIATION AWARD

11.        Eminent Scientist Award by AETDS

12.        Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Scientist Award

    
    

    Fellowship :

13.          Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi
    

14.         Fellow of National Academy of biological Sciences

15.         ICAR Junior Research Fellow

16.         Fellow of AIPUB

17.         Fellow of CHAI

1. Thangavelu, R., Suresh Kumar, P., Shuprajhaa, T., Varun, G. and Selvarajan, R. 2024. Influence of native biocontrol agents and newer molecules on controlling postharvest diseases, improving quality and extending the shelf-life of banana cv. grand nain (aaa). Scientia Horticulturae, 334, 113292.

2. Thangavelu, R.,Edwinraj, E., Gopi, M., Pushpakanth, P., Sharmila, K., Prabaharan,M., Loganathan,M and Uma, S. 2022. Development of PCR-Based Race-Specific Markers for Differentiation of Indian Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, the Causal Agent of Fusarium Wilt in Banana. J. Fungi, 8, 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8010053.

3.   Thangavelu, R; Edwin Raj, E; Gopi, M; Loganathan, M; Pushpakanth, P; Marimuthu, N; Prabaharan M; Sharmila, K; Sasikala, R and Uma, S. 2021. Comparative Whole-Genome Sequence Analyses of Fusarium Wilt Pathogen (Foc R1, STR4 and TR4) Infecting Cavendish (AAA) Bananas in India, with a Special Emphasis on Pathogenicity Mechanisms. J. Fungi, 7(9), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7090717.

4. Thangavelu R., Saraswathi, M.S., Uma, S., Loganathan, M., Backiyarani S.,  Durai P.,  Edwin Raj E.,  Marimuthu N. and  Kannan G. 2021. Identification of sources resistant to a virulent Fusarium wilt strain (VCG 0124) infecting Cavendish bananas. Scientific Reports 11:3183https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82666-7.

5.     Thangavelu, R., Edwin Raj, E., Loganathan M, Pushpakanth P, and S Uma, 2020. Draft genome of Fusariumoxysporum f. sp. cubense strain Tropical Race-4 infecting Cavendish (AAA) group of bananas in India. Plant Disease. doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-20-1170-A.

6.  Thangavelu, R., Gopi, M., Pushpakanth, P., Loganathan, M, Edwin Raj, E., Uma, S. 2020.First report of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense VCG 0125 and VCG 01220 of Race 1 infecting Cavendish bananas (Musa sp. AAA) in India. Plant Disease.

7.   Dita, M. L.A.J. Teixeira, W. O’Neill, A.B. Pattison, M.P. Weinert, C.Y. Li S.J. Zheng, C. Staver, R. Thangavelu and A. Viljoen, 2020. Current state of Fusarium wilt of banana in the subtropics. Acta Hortic. 1272. ISHS 2020. DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2020.1272.7.

8.  Thangavelu, R. M. Loganathan, R. Arthee, M. Prabakaran and S. Uma. 2020. Fusarium wilt: a threat to banana cultivation and its management.  CAB Reviews 2020 15, No. 004.

9.  Thangavelu, R., Mostert, D., Gopi, M., Ganga Devi, P., Padmanaban, B., Molina, A. B., Viljoen, A. 2019. First detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (TR4) on Cavendish banana in India. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 154 (3) pp 777-786.

10. Ganga Devi, P. Thangavelu, R. 2019.Development of species-specific SCAR based molecular marker for the detection of Pseudocercospora eumusae, the causal agent of eumusae leaf spot disease in banana. Journal of Plant Pathology.

11. Thangavelu, R. and Ganga Devi, P. 2018. Rapid and sensitive detection of Pseudocercospora eumusae pathogen causing eumusae leaf spot disease of banana by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. 3 Biotech, 8:442-852. 

12. Mostert D, Molina AB, Daniells J, Fourie G, Hermanto C, Chao CP, Fabregar E, Sinohin VG, Masdek N, Thangavelu R, Li C, Yi G, Mostert L, Viljoen A. 2017. The distribution and host range of the banana Fusarium wilt fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, in AsiaPLoS One. 12(7): e0181630. doi: 10.1371

13.  Thangavelu R. and Gopi M. 2015. Combined application of native Trichoderma isolates possessing multiple functions for the control of Fusarium wilt disease in banana cv. Grand Naine, Biocontrol Science and Technology, 25:10, 1147-1164. (NAAS-6.94 CITATION -0)

14.  Thangavelu R. and Gopi M. 2015. Field suppression of Fusarium wilt in banana using combined application of native endophytic and rhizospheric bacterial isolates possessing multiple functions,PhytopathologiaMediterranea, 54:2, 241-252.

15.  Gopi, M. and Thangavelu, R. 2014. Suppression of Fusarium wilt disease of banana by Zimmu (Allium cepaL. X Allium sativum L.) leaf extract. African Journal of Microbiology Research. 8(31), 2904-2915.

16. Thangavelu, R. Ganga Devi, P. Gopi, M. Mustaffa, M.M. 2013. Management of Eumusae leaf spot disease of banana caused by Mycosphaerellaeumusae with Zimmu (Allium sativum x Allium cepa) leaf extract. Crop Protection 46: 100-105.

17. Thangavelu R., Muthukumar, K., Ganga Devi, P. Mustaffa, M. M. 2011. Genetic Diversity of Fusarium oxysporumf.sp. cubenseisolates (Foc) of India by inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) analysis. Molecular Biotechnology. 51, 203-211

18. Thangavelu, R. and Mustaffa, M. M. 2010. First Report on the Occurrence of a Virulent Strain of Fusarium Wilt Pathogen (Race-1) Infecting Cavendish (AAA) Group of Bananas in India. Plant Disease. 94, 1379

19. Thangavelu, R., Palaniswami, A. and Velazhahan, R. 2004. Mass multiplication of Trichoderma harzianumusing biodegradable banana waste for the control of Fusarium wilt of banana. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 103(1), 259-263

20. Thangavelu, R., Sundararaju, P. and Sathiamoorthy, S. 2004. Management of anthracnose disease of banana caused by Colletotrichum musaeusing plant extracts. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. 79 (5), 664 – 668.

21. Thangavelu, R., Palaniswami, A., Ramakrishnan, G., Sabitha Duraiswamy., Muthukrishnan. S. and Velazhahan, R. 2001. Involvement of Fusaric acid detoxification by Pseudomonas fluorescens strain Pf10 in the biological control of Fusarium wilt of banana caused by Fusarium oxysporumf.sp. cubense. J. of Plant Diseases and protection. 108 (5), 433-445