Naidu A. Rayapati Email: naidu@wsu.edu Assistant Professor,Washington State University, USA Naidu Rayapati is currently a faculty member of the Department of Plant Pathology at Irrigated Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, USA. He is conducting basic and applied research on virus diseases of wine grapes and other horticultural crops. Dr. Rayapati received the International Service Award (2007) from the American Phytopathological Society for his research and outreach programs on virus diseases impacting food and vegetable crops in developing countries. As a member of the Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP) of USAID, he received the International IPM Excellence Team Award at the 6th International IPM Symposium in 2009. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1985 from Sri Venkateswara University in India, Dr. Rayapati conducted postdoctoral research on characterization of leafhopper-transmitted maize mosaic virus at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) (1987-89) and molecular biology of peanut stunt virus in the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky (1989-92). Subsequently, he worked at ICRISAT as an Internationally Recruited Senior Scientist (Virologist) addressing virus disease problems in peanut and chickpea in developing countries, with main focus in Sub-Saharan Africa. During this period, he conducted strategic and applied research on several taxonomically disparate viruses transmitted by aphids and whiteflies. At ICRISAT and then as a Consultant Virologist for the Crop Protection Programme (CPP) of the Department For International Development (DFID) (1998-99), Dr. Rayapati conducted research to elucidate the epidemiology of the groundnut rosette disease virus complex in Malawi and Uganda. He developed collaborative partnerships among a multi-disciplinary team of scientists from UK, USA and African countries and deployed sustainable disease management strategies against groundnut rosette disease in Uganda and Malawi. The Peanut CRSP of the USAID has estimated that adoption of these varieties could contribute US$47 million annually to Uganda’s economy. During 1999-2004, Dr. Rayapati worked on biological and molecular aspects of thrips-transmitted tomato spotted wilt virus and genetic diversity of viruses causing peanut clump disease in West Africa and India in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia, USA. Dr. Rayapati collaborated with scientists at the Scottish Crop Research Institute, Dundee, and Natural Resources Institute, Chatham Maritime, UK; the University of Georgia and University of Florida, USA; National Agricultural Research Programs in Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, and Uganda; and scientists at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria and International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Syria. Part of this research was funded by the Underwood Fund (administered by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council), CPP of the DFID and Peanut CRSP. He conducted collaborative research with scientists at IITA on cassava mosaic disease and emerging virus diseases in soybean, banana & plantain and yam funded by USAID-CGIAR linkage grant. As part of capacity building in sub-Saharan Africa, Dr. Rayapati co-organized research workshops, short-term training courses and graduate research programs that have had significant impact in many African countries. Currently, Dr. Rayapati is conducting research and outreach on insect-transmitted viruses in vegetables in several Asian countries through IPM CRSP of the USAID. Curriculum Vitae
Name: Prof. Naidu A. Rayapati Country of birth: India Nationality: Indian Position Title: Assistant Professor Institution: Washington State University, USA Contact Address: Department of Plant Pathology Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research & Extension Center Prosser, WA 99350-8694 Email: naidu@wsu.edu Tel: +1 509-786-9215 Specialty Area: - Plant virology, International Agriculture
Education:
1975 B.S., Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
1977 M.Sc., Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
1985 Ph.D., Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
Positions held (since terminal degree):
2004 to date Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Irrigated Agriculture Research & Extension Center, Prosser, WA
1999 - 2004 Research Associate Department of Plant Pathology, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
1998 - 1999 Consultant Virologist, Crop Protection Programme, Department for International Development, UK.
1998 Visiting Scientist, Pest Management Department, Natural Resources Institute, UK.
1992 - 1998 Scientist, Senior Scientist, Crop Protection Division, (Internationally Recruited Position), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India & Malawi.
1989 - 1992 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.
1987 - 1989 Postdoctoral Fellow, Legumes Pathology, ICRISAT, India.
1985 - 1986 Lecturer, Department of Botany, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, India.
Expertise:
- IPM and biotechnological strategies for management of insect-transmitted virus diseases in tropics - Molecular characterization of plant viruses - Plant virology - Virus-vector interactions
Honors and Awards (since terminal degree):
2009 International IPM Excellence Award . 2008 First Prize for a research poster under Professional Category . 2007 International Service Award . 2007 First Prize for a research poster under Professional Category at the 2007 Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Annual Meeting & Trade Show. .
A selection of major research accomplishments: Discoveries and first reports
1) Documented eight grapevine viruses for the first time in Washington vineyards. 2) Generated new knowledge on genetic diversity of three grapevine viruses. 3) Optimized sampling strategies and molecular diagnostic techniques for reliable detection of grapevine viruses in grapevines and insect vectors. 4) Generated ecologically relevant information on epidemiology and impacts of grapevine viruses to develop strategies for mitigating the negative impacts of viruses on grapevine health and berry quality. 5) Studied modulation of flavonoid pathway genes and anthocyanin pigments in red-berried wine grape cultivars infected with GLRD. 6) Carried out profiling of small RNAs in a red-berried wine grape cultivar infected with GLRD, (vii) constructed a full-length infectious cDNA clone of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3; genus Ampelovirus) for use as a reverse genetics system to study the etiology of GLRD, the molecular biology of grapevine leafroll-associated viruses and their transmission by insect vectors and for developing GLRaV-3 as a vector for foreign gene expression. 7) Examined 3-coterminal sub-genomic (sg) RNA expression and cis-acting elements in GLRaV-3 genome and compared with other members of the family Closteroviridae. 8) Identified alternative hosts for African cassava mosaic virus and East African Cassava mosaic Cameroon virus and developed multiplex PCR assay for their detection, (ii) molecularly characterized two new begomoviruses infecting soybeans in Nigeria, (iii) documented prevalence of thrips-transmitted tospoviruses (Peanut bud necrosis virus [PBNV] Capsicum chlorosis virus and Watermelon bud necrosis virus [WBNV] and molecularly characterized S-RNA genomic segment of WBNV. 9) Documented for the first time Tomato spotted wilt virus and PBNV in tomato and Bean common mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus in yardlong bean in Indonesia. 10) Completed a comprehensive study on molecular diversity of economically important virus diseases of peanut occurring in several countries of SSA (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Malawi and Kenya). 11) Conducted strategic research on groundnut rosette disease in Malawi. Identified high yielding, disease resistant peanut cultivars, funded by CPP-DFID, UK. 12) Two new groundnut rosette disease-resistant varieties suited to farmer and consumer preferences have been deployed that have increased yields to alleviate poverty in Malawi and Uganda. Peanut CRSP (USAID) has recently estimated that adoption of these varieties could contribute US$ 47 million annually to Uganda's economy. 13) Provided science-based knowledge and high yielding disease resistant peanut varieties for scientists in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to develop sustainable crop improvement strategies. 14) Conducted disease surveys in several African countries (Burkina Faso, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia) and identified virus disease constraints to peanut production.
A Selection of refereed journal publications (2002-present)
Gutha, L.R., Casassa, L.F., Harbertson, J.F. and Naidu, R.A. 2010. Modulation of flavonoid biosynthetic pathway genes and anthocyanins due to virus infection in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) leaves. BMC Plant Biology. 10:187.
Jarugula, S., Gowda, S., Dawson, W.O. and Naidu, R.A. 2010. 3'-coterminal subgenomic RNAs and putative cis-acting elements of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 reveals 'unique' features of gene expression strategy in the genus Ampelovirus. Virology Journal. 7:180.
Jarugula, S., Alabi, O.J., Martin, R.R. and Naidu, R.A. 2010. Genetic variability of natural populations of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-2 in Pacific Northwest vineyards. Phytopathology. 100:698-707.
Alabi, O.J., Lavakumar, P., Mgbechi-Ezeri, J.U., Naidu, R.A. 2010. Two new legumoviruses (genus Begomovirus) naturally infecting soybean in Nigeria. Archives of Virology. 155: 643-656.
Alabi, O.J., Martin, R.R. and Naidu, R.A. 2010. Sequence diversity, population genetics and potential recombination events in Grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus in Pacific Northwest Vineyards. Journal of General Virology. 91: 265-276.
Damayanthi, T.A., Alabi, O.J., Rauf, A., and Naidu, R.A. 2010. The occurrence of Bean common mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus in yardlong beans in Indonesia. Plant Disease. 94: 478.
Mekuria, T.A., Gutha, L.R., Martin, R.R. and Naidu, R.A. 2009. Genome diversity and intra- and interspecies recombination events in Grapevine fanleaf virus. Phytopathology. 99:1394-1402.
Naidu, R.A., Perry, E.M., Pierce, F.J. and Mekuria, T. 2009. The potential of spectral reflectance technique for detecting Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-3 in two red-berried wine grape cultivars. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 66: 38-45.
Mekuria, T.A., Karasev, A.V., Martin, R.R. and Naidu, R.A. 2009.First report of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-3 in six wine grape cultivars in Idaho. Plant Disease. 93:1218.
Oben, T.T., Hanna, R., Ngeve, J., Alabi, O.J., Naidu, R.A. and Lava Kumar, P. 2009. Occurrence of banana bunchy top disease caused by the Banana bunchy top virus on banana and plantain (Musa sp.) in Cameroon. Plant Disease. 93: 1076.
Damayanti, T.A. and Naidu R.A. 2009. Identification of Peanut bud necrosis virus and Tomato spotted wilt virus in Indonesia for the first time. Plant Pathology. 58: 782.
Goodin, M.M., Zaitlin, D., Naidu, R.A. and Lommel, S.A. 2008. Nicotiana benthamiana: its history and future as a model for plant-pathogen interactions. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. 21: 1015-1026.
Alabi, O.J., Lava Kumar, P. and Naidu, R.A. 2008. Multiplex PCR method for the detection of African cassava mosaic virus and East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus in cassava. Journal of Virological Methods. 154: 111-120.
Alabi, O.J., Ogbe, F.O., Bandyopadhyay, R., Lava Kumar, P., Dixon, A.G.O., Jaqueline d'A. Hughes, J.d'A. and Naidu, R.A. 2008. Alternate hosts of African cassava mosaic virus and East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus in Nigeria. Archives of Virology. 153: 1743-1747.
Naidu, R.A., Sherwood, J.L. and Deom, C.M. 2008. Characterization of a vector non-transmissible isolate of Tomato spotted wilt virus. Plant Pathology. 57: 190-200.
Naidu, R.A. and G. Karthikeyan, 2008. First report of Wisteria vein mosaic virus in Wisteria sinensis in the United States of America. Online. Plant Health Progress. doi:10.1094/PHP-2008-0818-01-BR.
Naidu, R.A., G. Karthikeyan, G., Jarugula, S., Nelson, M. and Morrell, A. 2008. First report of the natural infection of Coreopsis auriculata 'Nana' with Lettuce mosaic virus in the United States of America. Plant Disease. 92: 486.
Jarugula, S., Soule, M.J., Rowhani, A. and Naidu, R.A. 2008. First report of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-9 in Washington State vineyards. Plant Disease. 92: 485.
Mekuria, T., Martin, R.R. and Naidu, R. A. 2008. First report of the occurrence of Grapevine fanleaf virus in Washington State vineyards. Plant Disease. 92: 1250.
Eni, A.O., Lava Kumar, P., Asiedu, R., Alabi, O.J. Naidu, R.A., Hughes, J. d'A. and Rey, M.E.C. 2008. First Report of Cucumber mosaic virus in yams (Dioscorea spp.) in Ghana, Togo, and Republic of Benin in West Africa. Plant Disease. 92: 833.
Mgbechi-Ezeri, J.U., Alabi, O.J., Naidu, R.A. and Lava Kumar, P. 2008. First report of the occurrence of African cassava mosaic virus in a mosaic disease of soybean in Nigeria. Plant Disease. 92: 1709.
Naidu, R.A., Alabi, O.J., Karthikeyan, G., Nelson, M. and Morrell, A. 2007. First report of natural infection of Monarda didyma with Impatiens necrotic spot virus in Washington State. Plant Health Progress. doi:10.1094/PHP-2007-1119-02-BR.
Naidu, R.A. and Kimmins, F.M. 2007. The effect of Groundnut rosette assistor virus on the agronomic performance of four groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotypes. Journal of Phytopathology. 155: 350-356.
Kunkalikar, S., Poojari, S., Rajagopalan, P., Zehr, U.B, Naidu, R.A. and Kankanallu, R.S. 2007. First report of Capsicum chlorosis virus in tomato in India. Online. Plant Health Progress. doi:10.1094/PHP-2007-1204-01-BR.
Soule, M.J., Eastwell, K.C. and Naidu, R.A. 2006. First report of Grapevine leafroll associated virus-3 in American Vitis spp. grapevines in Washington State. Plant Disease. 90: 1461.
Naidu, R. A., Deom, C. M., Sherwood, J. L. 2005. Expansion of the host range of Impatiens necrotic spot virus to peppers. Online. Plant Health Progress. doi:10.1094/PHP-2005-0727-01-HN.
Naidu, R.A., Ingle, C.J., Deom, C.M. and Sherwood, J.L. 2004. The two envelope membrane glycoproteins of Tomato spotted wilt virus show differences in lectin-binding properties and sensitivities to glycosidases. Virology. 319:107-117.
Naidu, R.A., Sawyer, S. and Deom, C.M. 2003. Molecular diversity in the RNA-2 genome segments of pecluviruses causing peanut clump disease in West Africa and India. Archives of Virology. 148:83-98.
de Assis Filho, F.M., Naidu, R.A., Deom, C.M. and Sherwood, J.L. 2002. Dynamics of Tomato spotted wilt virus replication in the alimentary canal of two thrips species. Phytopathology. 92:729-733.
Book chapters: Richards, K.E., Deom, C.M. and Naidu, R.A. 2005. Genus: Pecluvirus. In: Virus Taxonomy-Classification and Nomenclature of Viruses. Eds. C.M. Fauquet, M.A. Mayo, J. Maniloff, U. Desselberger and L.A. Ball. Elsevier Academic Press, New York. pp1 039-1042.
Invited presentations at major international conferences (2002-present-Maximum 8)
New Vine Plantings - what does certified really mean? What are the latest threats? 2010 Cool Climate Viticulture & Enology Conference. Wine Islands Growers Association. Saanichton, Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada. May 15, 2010. Tospoviruses and thrips vectors in South and Southeast Asia: Epidemiology and integrated management. APSA-AVRDC Workshop on Tospoviruses and thrips vectors. Bangkok, Thailand. November 8, 2009. International partnerships: Why it matters for Africa?. Institute Seminar Series, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. Ibadan, Nigeria. May 6, 2009. Integrated management of thrips-borne tospoviruses in vegetable cropping systems in South and Southeast Asia. Advancing Regional and Global IPM CRSP Programs. Manila, Philippines. May 19 - 22, 2008. An integrated pest management approach for mitigating the impact of thrips-borne tospoviruses in vegetable cropping systems. Central Asia Regional IPM Stakeholders Forum. Dushanbe, Tajikistan. May 27-29, 2007. A global approach to tackle tospoviruses in vegetables: challenges and opportunities APSA/AVRDC Workshop on Collaborative Vegetable Research. AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, Tainan, Taiwan. May 1-2, 2006. Partnerships for progress: Indo-US collaboration for integrated management of thrips-borne tospoviruses in vegetable cropping systems. Interactive workshop on plant molecular virology (Indo-US Science & Technology Forum). New Delhi, India. February 11-12, 2006. Research Grants (2004 – present):
This database is supported with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
