Groundnut Breeding and Heterotic Grouping

Dr. Ashok Kumar Meena (born on 10 June 1991) is a distinguished agricultural scientist with strong academic training and a deep commitment to plant breeding and crop improvement. With a clear vision to enhance national groundnut production and contribute to India’s self-sufficiency in edible oils, Dr. Meena aims to harness modern and emerging breeding technologies to develop high-yielding, climate-resilient groundnut varieties suited to diverse agro-ecological conditions. He is also actively involved in enhancing quality seed production through farmer-participatory programs, thereby strengthening the linkage between research and field-level adoption.
He earned his M.Sc. in Genetics and Plant Breeding (2012–2014) from ANGRAU, Hyderabad. He subsequently completed his Ph.D. (2015–2018) at the UAS, Dharwad, specializing in the development of heterotic groups in cotton, under the chairmanship of Dr. S. S. Patil. His doctoral research significantly strengthened his expertise in plant breeding strategies, genetic diversity analysis, and the exploitation of heterosis for crop improvement.
Dr. Meena’s current research focuses on enhancing groundnut productivity through the development of varieties with collar rot resistance, drought tolerance, improved oil and protein quality, and wide adaptability. His research approach is firmly grounded in scientific, innovative, and evidence-based breeding strategies, aligned with the principles of sustainable agriculture.
Dr. Meena has extensive teaching experience in Genetics and Plant Breeding, having taught courses to the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. With more than twenty-five research publications in reputed national and international journals, his work has received wide recognition within the scientific community, attracting a substantial number of reads and citations.