School of Arts and Sciences

Year of Joining: 2024

Dissertation Advisor: Krishna Swamy

Research Interests: Plant Biology, Arachis hypogaea L. Fertilization and Flowering

When the peanut seed begins its underground development post-flowering (geocarpy), the root system stops supplying the major macronutrient, calcium, to the developing seed. In contrast, it is supplied to the aerial parts. Due to this approach, the developing seed has to rely heavily on the calcium available in the soil. Low calcium availability in the soil results in underdeveloped or unsynchronised seed and pod development. This results in aborted seeds, which significantly impacts the yield. The studies on calcium in peanuts have focused either on the developmental stages or on harvest. Very little is understood about whether calcium plays a crucial role in the peanut fertilisation process.