RM Sundaram is currently working as a Senior Scientist at Department of Biotechnology, Directorate of Rice Research, India. He has worked for more than 10 years in the molecular breeding and gained a plethora of knowledge in biotechnology. He has published numerous research papers and articles in reputed journals and has various other achievements in Plant science. His research interests lie in Core collections, specific amplification pattern, descriptors, Genetic similarity, japonica, indica. He has extended his valuable service towards the scientific community with his extensive research work.  He mapped two major, dominant rice gall midge resistance gene, Gm1 and Gm2 and developed a new rice fine-grain type, bacterial blight resistant variety possessing three resistance genes (Xa21, xa13 and xa5) called “Improved Samba Mahsuri” (IET # 19046) through marker-assisted backcross breeding. The new variety is being grown widely in the States of AP, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Chattisgarh and Maharashtra to an extent of > 50,000 ha. Improved Samba Mahsuri has been notified and released by CVRC and has been registered with PPV & FR Authority. It has also been licensed to a seed company, M/s Sri Biotech, Hyderabad for Rs. 6 Lakh. He tagged and mapped a new, dominant bacterial blight resistance gene, Xa33 from an accession of the wild rice Oryza nivara, Xa33 possessing broad-spectrum resistance and developed functional markers for the major fragrance gene in Basmati (fgr), major QTL associated with grain size and shape (Gs3), rice blast resistance gene (Pi54) and the major wide compatibility gene S5 and a SSR marker based technology for rapid assessment of genetic purity of rice hybrids and parental lines.

Core collections, specific amplification pattern, descriptors, Genetic similarity, japonica, indica