The International Cotton Advisory Committee will honor a cotton researcher each year by awarding an honorarium of US$1,000 and a shield. Applications were invited from February 1 to March 31, 2009. Twelve candidates from eight countries in three disciplines of breeding/production (6), plant protection (5) and biotechnology (1) applied for or were nominated for the award.
The Selection Committee was comprised of five anonymous judges from four countries. Members of the Selection Committee came to a consensus that Dr. Keshav R. Kranthi of India should be selected as the ICAC Cotton Researcher of the Year - 2009.
Dr. Keshav R. Kranthi is an entomologist by training and currently works as Acting Director of the Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, India.
The Central Institute for Cotton Research belongs to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and is the leading institute on cotton research in India. Dr. Kranthi is 46 years old and has been working at the Institute since 1992. He has handled 17 externally funded projects as the principal Investigator. He has also worked as a Principal Investigator on one of the CFC/ICAC projects located in China (Mainland), India, Pakistan and the UK.
Dr. Kranthi is recognized for his work in India and has received many national awards. He developed an extensive database on bollworm resistance to insecticides and Bt-toxins; he discovered the mechanisms of resistance; developed stochastic models and insect resistance management strategies (IRM) that benefited small holders and reduced insecticide use in India.
Dr. Kranthi developed several diagnostic kits to detect Bt-cotton, insecticide resistant insects and sub-standard insecticides. He developed easy-to-use field kits to detect Bt-crops. The kits were commercialized and directly contributed to the reduction in spurious Bt-cotton seed in India. More information about his work is available on the ICAC web page.
The award will be continued, and the ICAC Secretariat will work to raise the profile of the award so that it becomes recognized as the most prestigious award in the world cotton community of production researchers.
International Cotton Advisory Committee
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