Department of Microbiology

 

The department of Microbiology was established in 1964 with late Dr. S.R. Vyas as the founder Professor & Head, who laid solid foundation for the subsequent growth and development of the department.   Over the years, the department has made significant contribution in research, teaching and extension.  The department developed a solid state fermentation process for the production of citric acid from cane molasses using improved strains of Aspergillus niger.  Technology for the production of wine from locally grown grapes was developed by late Professor Vyas and the technical know-how for large scale production of wine was later given to Panipat Cooperative distillery, Panipat.  A process for the direct fermentation of sugarcane for alcohol production was developed.  Yeast strains have been developed for the production of ethanol from cane molasses which are being supplied to Indian distilleries.  Usefulness of organic manures in maintaining soil organic matter status and their role in pollution abatement has been worked out.  Technology for enrichment of compost with (i) Azotobacter for increased nitrogen content, (ii) rock phosphate for increased phosphate availability and (iii) urea for increased organic nitrogen content has been developed.  Use of neem cake in controlling nitrification and slow release of nitrogen from nitrogenous fertilizers has been worked out.

 Since the late sixties, the department has been in the forefront in carrying basic and applied research towards producing efficient rhizobial strains for chickpea, mungbean, urd bean, cowpea, berseem soybean and other legumes and Azotobacter for non-leguminous crops. Large scale production and distribution of biofertilizers to farmers has reached a maximum of 2,00,000 packets per year.  For this activity, the department was awarded National Productivity Council Award for 1985-86. Biofertilizers of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and biocontrol inoculants of Gluconacetobacter are also being produced by the department. Molecular ecological studies of these microbes have also been carried out.

Microbial parameters in the anaerobic digestion of organic wastes for biogas production have been studied.  Conditions for increasing biogas production in winter through recycling of spent slurry, and effective use of brackish water for biogas production have been worked out. Family size Janta biogas plant has been modified for solid state fermentation of cattle dung that has been tested all over India and has been found satisfactory.

List of faculty members of Microbiology

Sr. No.

Name   Designation

Field of specilazation

E. mail address

Contact No.

1.

Dr. Sneh Goyal Professor & Head

Soil Microbiology

snehgoyal@hau.ernet.in

9416240932

2.

Dr. Sunita Suneja

Professor

Environmental Microbiology, Biological nitrogen fixation

ssuneja@hau.ernet.in

9416531930

3.

Dr. S. S. Dudeja

Plant Microbe Interactions, Molecular ecology, Biological nitrogen fixation

ssdudeja@hau.ernet.in
ssdudeja@gmail.com

9416043190

4.

Dr. Shashi Paroda Professor

FermentationSoil Microbiology

shashi_paroda@hau.ernet.in
shashiparoda_@yahoo.com

9896303488

5.

Dr. S.S. Dhamija Professor

Fermentation

 

dhamija53@hau.ernet.in
dv89@rediffmail.com

9896011463

6

Dr. R.C. Anand Professor

Biofertilizer production, Plant Microbe Interactions

anandrc@hau.ernet.in

9416993476

7

Dr.S.S. Sindhu Professor

Biocontrol, Plant Microbe Interactions

sindhuss@hau.ernet.in

9416650057

8

Dr. K. Kukreja Professor

Plant Microbe Interactions, Biological nitrogen fixation

kkukreja@hau.ernet.in

9896686367

9

Dr. D.V. Pathak Associate Professor

Biofertilizer production,

Vermicompositing

pathak_dv@rediffmail.com

9416632846

10

Dr. Leela Wati Associate Professor

Fermentation, Environmental Microbiology

lwkraj@hau.ernet.in
lwkraj@gmail.com

9416397853

11

Dr Rajesh Gera Associate Professor

Plant Microbe Interactions,  Molecular ecology, Biological nitrogen fixation

gera@hau.ernet.in

9416961450

12

Dr.Rakesh Kumar
Asstt. Scientist

Molecular Microbiology sehrawatrk@gmail.com
sehrawatrk@hau.ernet.in
9813046403

13

Dr.(Mrs.) Kamla
Asstt. Scientist

Fermentation and Industrial Microbiology kamlamalik@hau.ernet.in
kamlamalik@rediff.com
9466263614
14

Dr (Mrs.) Seema
Asstt. Professor

Fermentation and Bioremediation seema_sangwan80@hau.ernet.in 9416247951

Location
Building of College of Basic Sciences&
Humanities

Mailing Address :
Department of
Microbiology
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities
CCS Haryana Agricultural University
Hisar - 125 004,
India.
Telephone :
+91-1662-237721 Extn.4292

Ongoing Research Projects
    
A) State funded projects:

·        Development and improvement of microorganisms for use in agriculture, industry and environment

·        Rice straw composting and enrichment for crop  production

            B)  ICAR funded projects:

·                  ICAR Network on biofertilizers.

·                  AICRP on Renewable sources of energy for agriculture and agro based industries ( Bioconversion technology).

·                  Network project on “Application of microorganisms in agriculture and applied    systems (AMAAS)”  

       C)  Other agency projects :

·        Production and marketing of biofertilizers for different crops (Sponsored under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana)

·       Ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse
 

Major contributions

  1. Developed strains of Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum and phosphate solubilizing microorganisms for use as biofertilizers for various crops.
  2. Production of biofertilizers for legumes, cereals, oil seeds, cotton and vegetable crops .
  3. Production of Gluconacetobacter as biocontrol agent.
  4. Developed technology for the production of phosphate - enriched compost by use of organic wastes and low grade rock phosphate.
  5. Developed thermo tolerant yeast strains for fast fermentation of cane molasses for ethanol production.
  6. Improvement in the design of biogas plants for solid state digestion of cattle dung.
  7. Developed technology for rice straw composting.

Last updated 30-03-12