Singh Rakesh Kumar 

Biography

"R.K. is a senior scientist in the Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division. His expertise is on breeding rice varieties for abiotic stress tolerance with special reference to salt-affected soils (saline and alkaline soils), as well as zinc-deficient and iron-toxic soils. He obtained vast experience in rice-based agriculture while serving as regional plant breeding coordinator for Eastern and Southern Africa from 2009-2012. Since July 2012, he’s been based at IRRI headquarters to coordinate IRRI’s rice breeding activities on problem soils and lead varietal development for rainfed-lowland areas of Southeast Asia. R.K. has guided many BSc, MSc, and PhD students from India, Philippines, Myanmar, Iran, Burundi, Madagascar, and Egypt, which continues today. He is also serving as an adjunct associate professor of plant breeding and genetics at the University of the Philippines Los Baños."

Research Interest

Crop and Environmental Sciences