Rice: Enhanced drought tolerance in rainfed
systems
Chickpea: Improved nodulation with
mycorrhizal-rhizobial synergy
Maize: Enhanced micronutrient uptake (Zn, Fe)
Horticulture: Improved transplant survival
and fruit quality
Bioremediation Technologies
Fly ash dump reclamation (National Thermal Power Corporation )
Chlor alkali sludge treatment ( Tata Chemicals)
Heavy metal sequestration using mycorrhizal-nano systems
Land Restoration
Degraded land revegetation
Salt-affected soil rehabilitation
Mine spoil restoration
Urban greening initiatives
Environmental Impact
Carbon sequestration through enhanced soil organic matter
Reduced nutrient pollution from decreased fertilizer use
Contaminated site cleanup
Ecosystem resilience improvement
Water Treatment
Biosynthesized nanoparticles for water purification
Constructed wetlands enhancement
Heavy metal removal from wastewater
Networks & Collaborations
Building strong national and international networks to advance
mycorrhizal research, sustainable agriculture, and translational
biological innovations.
Mycorrhiza Network Asia
Leadership Role:
Coordinator, Mycorrhiza Network Asia
Chief Editor, Mycorrhiza News (since 1988 -
2021)
Mission:
Unify isolated researchers across Asia and globally, providing
access to protocols, taxonomy updates, and research findings for
scientists lacking access to expensive Western journals.
Key Initiatives:
Mycorrhiza News (Quarterly Newsletter)
Disseminates research discoveries, protocols, methodologies
Reaches scientists across Asia and beyond
Free/affordable access to critical scientific information
Over 35 years of continuous publication
Centre for Mycorrhizal Culture Collection (CMCC)
Physical germplasm bank for the network
200+ AMF isolates from diverse ecosystems
Provides strains to researchers globally
Morphological and molecular characterization
Network Activities
Germplasm exchange between laboratories
Standardized research methodologies across Asian labs
Training workshops for young scientists
Capacity building (hundreds trained)
Collaborative research projects
Global Reach
Asia-focused but globally connected
Researchers from multiple continents
Knowledge sharing platform
Technology transfer facilitation
Academic Collaborations
International Partners
Deakin University, Australia
Joint PhD programs (50+ students)
AUD 8M+ joint investment
26 externally funded projects
Shared research infrastructure
Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India
Chairs National Task Force on Biological Agents
Member, Nanobiotechnology Task Force
DBT National Centre of Excellence designation
Nanobiotech@DBT platform funding
DTD-RNA network support
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
National Rice Biotechnology Network collaboration
Field trials through Krishi Vigyan Kendras
Technology validation across agro-climatic zones
International Mycorrhiza Society (IMS)
President, 7th International Conference on Mycorrhiza (ICOM7,
2013)
Member Board of Directors at inception
First ICOM in Asia (New Delhi)
Fostered global mycorrhizal research exchange
DTD-RNA (DBT-TDNBC-Deakin Research Network)
Network of labs across continents
Coordinated by Dr. Adholeya
Nanobiotech training and research
Launched 2019 with DBT support
Industry Collaborations
NTPC, Hindustan Zinc Limited, Coromandel and
Tata Chemicals Limited (India)
Bioreclamation of fly ash dumps
Mine waste restoration projects
Environmental remediation technologies
Aurea Systems (Germany)
Mycorrhiza commercialization in European markets
Product launch collaborations
Mycorrhizal Applications (USA)
Director of Product & Technology Development (2014-2017)
