MULLaRP and Mustard Breeding

Dr. Manish Kumar is an Assistant Professor in Genetics and Plant Breeding at Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner. He works at the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Durgapura.
He completed his B.Sc. in Agriculture from Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra, his M.Sc. in Genetics and Plant Breeding from Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, and his Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Breeding from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. During his academic career, he was the recipient of prestigious scholarships such as the ICAR National Talent Scholarship, CAU-PG Scholarship, and UGC Research Fellowship, highlighting his dedication and passion for advancing agricultural science.
His research focuses on improving MULLaRP crops such as Mungbean, Urdbean, Lentil, and Field pea. He develops high-yielding, stress-tolerant, and climate-resilient varieties using both conventional breeding and modern molecular tools like marker-assisted selection. He had also worked on pyramiding bacterial leaf blight resistance genes in rice, developing lines that combine disease resistance with high yield and good agronomic traits.
He has led and contributed to major research projects, including ICAR-AICRP on MULLaRP, PM-RKVY projects for seed quality and mechanization and the establishment of Seeds Hub and Specialized Seed Storage Unit. He has expertise in field experiments, molecular lab techniques, data analysis, and breeder seed production.
Dr. Kumar has published multiple high-impact research articles, contributed to institute publications, and participated in trainings on plant genomics and mutation breeding. He is a qualified ASRB-NET professional in Genetics & Plant Breeding and combines strong research experience with a focus on practical solutions for sustainable crop improvement.