Scented rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivars of India: A Perspective on Quality and Diversity

Dr. Altafhusain Nadaf¿is working as an Associate Professor at the Department of Botany, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune; in the area of biochemistry and molecular genetics of scented rice for past 13 years. He was awarded Erasmus Mundus Action 2 India4EU II scholarship to visit University of Bolgona, Italy as a visiting professor for one month (2014) and DST-BOYSCAST Fellowship to work as a Visiting Fellow at Centre for Plant Conservation Genetics, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia for one year in 2010-11. He has received research grants by several funding agencies including DST-Fast Track Scheme for Young Scientists and DBT-Rapid grant for Young Investigators (RGYI). He has successfully guided several Ph. D. and M. Phil. Students and women scientists (under DST-Women Scientists Scheme -A & B). He is working as a reviewer for many International journals.¿ He has in his credit more than 45 research papers published in peer reviewed national and international journals of repute. He has presented his research work at national and international level. Dr. Sarika Mathure¿is working on characterization of Indian scented rice cultivars with respect to their quality traits, diversity and molecular markers. She has obtained her doctoral degree in Biotechnology from Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune. She has published 6 research papers in International refereed journals. She i s¿involved in quantitative analysis¿of rice volatiles. Her work was presented in several International and National conferences. Dr. Narendra Jawali,¿former Head Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai India, obtained his doctorate degree in Biochemistry from Mumbai University. He was¿Member Secretary of Basic Sciences Committee, Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, a research funding agency of Government of India. He carried out research in the area of biochemistry and molecular genetics of plants. His Investigations on rRNA sequences have increased understanding of molecular phylogeny and evolution of species belonging to subgenera¿Vigna¿and¿Ceratotropis¿of the genus¿Vigna. His studies¿in wheat have led to a genetic linkage map, QTL map and SCAR markers for a rust resistance gene. His collaborative studies have resulted in understanding the mechanism of salt tolerance in rice, revealed quality and genetic diversity among some non basmati scented rice from south India. His studies have revealed mechanism of electron transport and role of Cytb557 in nitrate reductase, and the reaction mechanism, regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and malic enzyme from Maize.