R Dinesh has assumed charge as the new director of ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode.
A Principal Scientist in soil science, Dinesh has over 30 years of research experience. He has made significant contributions to soil fertility, soil biochemistry and soil microbiology of arable soils, soils under tropical forests, and mangrove ecosystems. His contribution to the area of plant-microbe interaction and their influence on nutrient cycling and nutrient use efficiency in soils under perennial horticulture has opened up new areas of research.
He is the co-inventor of the novel delivery system for agriculturally important microbes through encapsulation (biocapsules), designer micronutrients and PGPR formulations which have been non-exclusively licensed to many private companies for commercialisation. Six of these formulations have been awarded with patents.
He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, and recipient of many awards and has published over 50 high impact research papers.