Dr. Neelam Joshi joined PAU as Microbiologist on 8.05.1997 after completing B.Sc. (Medical) from Panjab University, Chandigarh (1989), M.Sc. (Microbiology) from PAU, Ludhiana (1992) and Ph.D. (Microbiology) from PAU, Ludhiana in (1995).She joined as Senior Microbiologist on 8.05.2009 and Principal Microbiologist on 8.05.2012 (till date) Her field of research is Biological control of crop pests. Development validation and dissemination of biocontrol and integrated pest management technologies in different crops. She is presently working in All India Coordinated Research Project on Biological control of Crop pests (ICAR). She has guided 20 M.Sc students and 4 PhD students as major advisor, published 62 research papers in national and international journals and presented 41 research papers in national and international conferences. She has delivered 20 lectures to farmers and entrepreneurs’.She has been associated with three research projects

Professional Accomplishments Research Projects completed

1. Characterization of entomopathogenic fungi and their role as biocontrol agent of crop pest. (UGC) (PI)

2. Biointensive pest management practices in important vegetable crops under protected cultivation in Punjab (NHM) (Co-PI)

Research Publications:

1. Singh H and Joshi N (2020) Management of the aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), using biorational on capsicum under protected  cultivation  in  India Egyptian  Journal  of  Biological  Pest Control 30:67 https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-020-00266-5 (NAAS rating 8.10)

2. Kaur R, Gupta M, Singh S, Joshi N and Sharma A (2020) Enhancing RNAi efficiency to decipher the functional response of potential genes in Bemisia tabaci Asia 11-1 (Gennedius) through dsRNA feeding assays. Frontiers in Physiology 11.123 doi:10.3389/fphys.2020.00123 (NAAS rating 9.39)

3. Grewal G K, Joshi N and Suneja Y (2021) Pathogenicity of Metarhizium rileyi (Farlow) Kepler, S.A. Rehner and Humber isolates against Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) and their extracellular enzymatic activities Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control 31:59 https:// doi.org/10.1186/s41938-021-00407-4 (NAAS rating 8.10)

4. Dhawan M and Joshi N (2017) Enzymatic comparison and mortality of Beauveria bassiana against cabbage caterpillar Pieris brassicae LINN. Brazalian Journal of Microbiology 48: 522-527. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.bjm.2016.08.004(NAAS rating 8.10)

5. Kaur R, Singh S and Joshi N (2022) Pervasive endosymbionts Arsenophonus plays a key role in the transmission of cotton leaf curl virus vectored by Asia 11-1 genetic group    of Bemisiatabaci    Environmental    Entomology 51(3)    564-577, https://doi.org/10.093/ee/invan024 (NAAS rating 7.80)

6. Bharti K, Joshi N, Khosla S and Kaur R. (2022) Compatibility of entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium rileyi with biorationals. Indian journal of Entomology 85 (1) DOI: 10.55446/IJE.2022.801 (NAAS rating 5.59)

Awards and Recognitions:

Awarded CSIR-Senior Research Fellowship