Y. Rajashekar: Profile

The current research programmes focus on pest management from natural origin.Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, has been ranked 6th among the 25 biodiversity hotspots of the world. Biodiversity conservation events focus mostly on plant and animals, but a mind-boggling scale of insect pest control from botanicals is yet to be uncovered and exploited for human welfare. In North Eastern states of India, few studies are initiated for screening of bioactive molecules from plant diversity. However, insect pest control from natural origin is neglected. The ethnic people of North Eastern states of India practiced plants derived products as grain protectants or mosquito repellents or antifeedants etc... These traditional practice for pest management is major tool for explore natural sources for discovering new insecticides in order to address the problem of environmental and human health hazards and, to combat the evolution of insect resistance. In view of the priority for non-synthetic chemicals (Biopesticides) from plant origin, novel bioactive molecule will be isolated, characterized and evaluated, that could lead to the development of a new, eco-friendly, biodegradable safer bio-insecticide for insect pest control(grain protection against storage insect pest infestation or natural repellents against insect vectors or antifeedants against crop pests). In view of the above importance, the present research records on the basis of the traditional indigenous knowledge of the several ethnic people regarding the utilization of bioresources as insecticides.

A. Research Articles

Google Scholar ResearchGate

1. Kapesa K, Deepantia W, Bonysana RK, Rajashekar Y (2020) Anthropoentomophagy and ethnoentomology among ethnic Mao- Naga and Poumai-Naga tribes of Manipur, North-East India. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed (Accepted).

2. Devi AM, and Rajashekar Y et al.(2020) Chemical compositions and insecticidal efficacies of four aromatic essential oils on rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae L. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 1-11https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-020-00102-1

3. Devi AM, Sahoo D, Singh TB, Rajashekar Y(2019) Toxicity, repellency and chemical composition of essential oils from Cymbopogon species against red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety  1-11.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-019-01264-y

4. Thiyam BD, Saini M, Chanu HD, Singh KD, Sonia S, Bunindro N, Singh NI, Momota P, Sahoo D, RajashekarY (2018) Toxicity and antifungal activity of 2, 3-Dimethylmaleic anhydride against stored product beetles and plant fungal pathogens. Journal of Plant Diseaseand Protection 125, 585-590.https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-018-0181-5

5. Kabrambam DS, Rajendra Kumar L, Thiyam BD, Ningthoujam IS, Heisnam DC, Sonia S, Bunindro N,  Sahoo D, Rajashekar Y (2017) Biochemical efficacy, molecular docking and inhibitory effect of 2, 3-dimethylmaleic anhydride on insect acetylcholinesterase.Scientific Reports (npg)7:12483 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-12932-0;PMID: 28970561

6. Rajashekar Y,Shivanandappa T. (2017) Mode of action of the natural insecticide, Decaleside involves sodium pump inhibition.PloS one, 12(1), e0170836https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170836;PMID: 28125742

7. Rajashekar Y. (2016) Toxicity of coumaran to stored products beetles. Journal of Stored Products Research 69, 172-174.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2016.07.006

8. Rajashekar Y, Tonsing N, Shantibala T, Manjunath JR. (2016) 2, 3-Dimethlmaleic anhydride (3, 4 –Dimethyl-2, 5-furandione): A plant derived insecticidal molecule from Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta (L.) Schott. Scientific Reports 6: 20546https://doi.org/10.1038/srep20546;PMID: 26837840

9. Ritesh KR, Suganya A, Dileep Kumar HV, Rajashekar Y, Shivanandappa T. (2015) A single acute hepatotoxic dose of CCl4 causes oxidative stress in the rat brain. Toxicology Reports 2, 891-895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2015.05.012; PMID: 28962426

10. Rajashekar Y, Raghavendra A, Bakthavatsalam N. (2014) Acetylcholinesterase inhibition by biofumigant (coumaran) from leaves of Lantana camara in stored grain and household insect pests. BioMed Research International 2014, Article ID 187019, 6 pages.https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/187019;PMID: 25025036

11. Rajashekar Y, Ravindra KV, Bakthavatsalam N. (2014). Leaves of Lantana camara Linn. (Verbencaceae) as a potential insecticide for the management of stored grain pests. Journal of Food Science and Technology 51(11), 3494-3499.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-012-0884-8; PMID: 26396352

12. Rajashekar Y, Shivanandappa T. (2014) Mammalian safety of Decaleside II in the laboratory mice. Toxicology Reports1, 969-972.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2014.01.001PMID: 28962309

13. Rajashekar Y, Vijay Kumar, Ravindra KV, Bakthavatsalam N. (2013). Isolation and characterization of biofumigants from leaves of Lantana camara for grain protection. Industrial Crops and Products 51, 224-228.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2013.09.006

14. Rajashekar Y, Rao LJM, Shivanandappa T. (2012). Decaleside: a new class of natural insecticide targeting tarsal gustatory sites. Naturwissenschaften 99(10), 843-852. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-0966-5; PMID: 22955371

15. Rajashekar Y, Gunasekaran NG, Shivanandappa T. (2010) Insecticidal activity of the root extract of Decalepis hamiltonii against stored-product insect pests and its application in grain protection. J Food Sci Technol 47(3), 310-314.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-010-0049-6; PMID: 23572643

B. Review Articles (Only authorized publishers)

1. Adesina JM, Bunindro N, Sahoo D, Rajashekar Y (2019) Traditional methods of food grains preservation and storage in Nigeria and India. Annals of Agricultural Sciences 64(2), 196-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aoas.2019.12.003

C. Patents– Recent First

1. Rajashekar Y, Borah JC. (2014) A biofumigant comprising 2-methyltetrahydro-3-furanone.2530/DEL/2014. Published Date: 11/03/2016, Status: Under Examination

D. Book Chapters– Recent First

1. Shivanandappa T, Rajashekar Y (2014) Mode of action of plant-derived natural    insecticides. In: Advances in plant biopesticides (Singh D, ed), Springer India, pp. 323-345.

Research Group

 Research Grants/Projects

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B.      Extramural:

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Past: