Dr. Ajit Pratap Singh

Principal Scientist

Research Interests

Dr. Ajit Pratap Singh’s research interests focus upon cryptogams (Pteridophytes), particularly their systematics, phylogeny, prospection, developmental biology, reproductive behaviour, mass-multiplication, restoration and conservation.

Dr. Ajit Pratap Singh

Principal Scientist

Research Summary

Our group is working on: (i) Grid-based quantitative assessment of the diversity of Pteridophytes in north-eastern India for preparation of inventories and baseline data including mapping of the ecosystems and species distribution pattern, (ii) Floristic survey and systematics of Pteridophytes, (iii) Developmental biology, reproductive behaviour, mass-multiplication and restoration potential of threatened species, (iv) In-vitro culture for mass-propagation and conservation, (v) Prospection of potential cryptogams for drought and insecticidal proteins.

Systematics, phylogeny, prospection, developmental biology, reproductive behaviour, mass-multiplication, restoration and conservation of Pteridophytes.

Important findings: (i) Checklist of ferns and fern-allies of Uttar Pradesh (ii) New records of Mircolepia speluncae, Selaginella ciliaris, Lygodium japonicum from Terai regions in Uttar Pradesh (iii) New record of Hymenophyllum javanicum from central India (iv) Reproductive biology of Anemia rotundifolia, Adiantum peruvianum, Lepisorus nudus (v) Mass-multiplication and conservation of 70 species of ferns in the fern-house, (vi) Prospection of potential ferns for development of transgenic Tma 12 cotton against whitefly.

Dr. Ajit Pratap Singh

Principal Scientist

Publications

– D Johari, Singh AP 2019. Taxonomic Analyses Suggest a New Record of Lygodium japonicum (Lygodiaceae) from Terai Regions of Uttar Pradesh, India. National Academy Science Letters 42(3): 283-286. DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s40009-018-0720-4.

– D Johari, Singh AP 2018. Biotechnology in Clone Gametophytes: Future Perspectives in Homosporous Ferns. In: Fernández H. (eds) Current Advances in Fern Research. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. Pp. 75-97. DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75103-0_4.

– Singh AP, D Johari 2018. Scope of Ferns in Horticulture and Economic Development. In: Fernández H. (eds) Current Advances in Fern Research. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. Pp. 153-175. DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75103-0_8.

– Singh AP, D Johari 2017. Microlepia speluncae (Pteridophytes): A new record and additional taxonomic circumscription from Terai region (marshlands) of Uttar Pradesh, India. Geophytology 47(1): 1-9.

– Singh AP, D Johari, PB Khare 2017. A checklist of Fern and Fern-allies (Pteridophytes) of Uttar Pradesh India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 114: 1-17, DOI: 10.17087/jbnhs/2017/v114/121628.

– Singh AP, D Johari 2016. Sustainable utilization of Biodiversity: Role of Pteridophytes in livelihoods of Tharu tribes of Uttar Pradesh. Souvenir of Uttar Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (9): 116-127. DOI 10.13140/RG.2.2.32813.79841.

– Johari D, AP Singh 2016. A new taxonomic circumscription of Selaginella ciliaris (Selaginellaceae) from Terrai regions of Uttar Pradesh, published in Natl. Acad. Sci. Letters, 40(1): 61-66, 2016, DOI 10.1007/s40009-016-0518-1.

– Singh AP, D Johari 2016. Hymenophyllum javanicum Spreng. from the Central India, published in Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sec. B. Biol. Sci. 2016, DOI 10.1007/s40011-016-0782-3.

– Singh AP, D Johari, PB Khare 2016. Studies on Ontogeny and reproductive behavior of Lepisorus nudus (Hook.) Ching. (Polypodiaceae). Journal of Plant Research 130 (2): 281-290, 2017, DOI 10.1007/s10265-016-0891-3.

– Singh AP, Johari D 2016. Biodiversity and Colonization of Pteridophytes: An overview on Population Establishment in Indian Islands. Proc. Nat. Conf. Bio. Div. Mainstreaming Biodiversity, UPSBB. Vol. 10: 19-30.

– Shukla AK, Upadhyay SK, Mishra M, Saurabh S, Singh H, Hans AL, Srivastava S, Singh MK, Chandrashekar K, Verma PC, Singh AP, Nair KN, Bhadauria S, Wahajuddin M, Singh S, Omkar, Upadhyay RS, Ranade SA, Tuli R, Singh PK et al. 2016. Expression of an insecticidal fern protein in cotton protects against whitefly. Nature Biotechnology. 34(10):1046-1054. DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3665.

– Singh AP, Johari D 2015. Ethnobotany and Social Context of Pteridophytes Used by Tharu Tribes in Terrai Regions of Uttar Pradesh, India. J. Econ. Taxon. Bot., 39 (3-4): 512-526.

– Singh H, Rai KM, Upadhyay SK, Pant P, Verma PC, Singh AP, Singh PK 2015. Transcriptome sequencing of a thalloid bryophyte; Dumortiera hirsuta (Sw) Nees: assembly, annotation, and marker discovery. Scientific Reports, 5: 15350, doi: 10.1038/srep15350.