Dr. Smita Nair

Dr. Smita Nair completed her BSc. in Agriculture and MSc. (Agriculture) in Plant Biotechnology from the College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, and PhD. in Biosciences from Mangalore University with ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod as the Research Centre. She has more than 3 years of research experience in molecular diagnostics at ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod, and 1.5 years of research experience in CRISPR/Cas9 baaed genome editing at AgriGenome Labs Pvt Ltd., Kochi, before joining KAU as Assistant Professor in February 2019. Her areas of specialization are molecular diagnostics, plant-pathogen interaction studies, in vitro studies in tissue culture recalcitrant species, and genome editing. She has published over 20 research articles in peer-reviewed journals, four book chapters, and one book, and presented her research at several National and International conferences. She has also been a reviewer for BMC Plant Biology, Indian Phytopathology, Rubber Science, and the Journal of Tropical Agriculture.

Publications:

Mounika Sai, K. Smita Nair*, Megha Mohan, Kiran A. G. (2023). Expression profiling of cell cycle regulatory genes E2F and CDKA during early stages of zygotic embryo culture in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.). Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-023-02591-7

Midhuna Madhu Kovileri, Smita Nair*, & Loius, V. (2023). One-step Reverse Transcription-LoopMediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) for closed-tube colorimetric detection of banana bract mosaic virus in Banana (Musa spp.). 3 Biotech 13, 131 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-023-03550-x

Ramamoorthy, M. V., Prashant, B. D., Mathew, D., Devassy, B. T., Raman, S. M., Muhammed, P. C., & Smita Nair (2023). Antiproliferative potential of bioactive molecule from Murraya koenigii L. Spreng against breast cancer: In vitro and in vivo studies and gene expression analyses. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 61 (11) 819-832

Abida PS, Soorya KU, Akhila J, Shankar C, Krishna Kumar G, Smita Nair, Preetha R (2023). An efficient and rapid method of in-vitro propagation of Bougainvillea through nodal segments and clonal fidelity analysis using ISSRs. The Pharma Innovation Journal 2023; SP-12(9): 620-624

Nahla Binth, T., Smita Nair*, & Loius, V. (2022). Colorimetric detection platform for banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) based on closed-tube loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay. VirusDisease, 33(3), 303-308.

Smita Nair & Manimekalai, R. (2021). Phytoplasma diseases of plants: Molecular diagnostics and way forward. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 37(6), 102.

Manimekalai, R., Smita Nair, Naganeeswaran, A., Karun, A., Malhotra, S., & Hubbali, V. (2018). Transcriptome sequencing and de novo assembly in arecanut, Areca catechu L elucidates the secondary metabolite pathway genes. Biotechnology Reports, 17, 63-69.

Smita Nair, Ramaswamy Manimekalai, Palliyath Ganga Raj, Vinayaka Hegde. 2016. Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection of coconut root wilt disease and arecanut yellow leaf disease phytoplasma. World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 32:108

Smita Nair, Ramaswamy Manimekalai, V. P. Soumya, K.C. Likhitha. 2016. Dual labeled probe based real time PCR method for detection of 16SrXI-B sub-group phytoplasma associated with coconut root wilt disease in India. Australasian Plant Pathology. DOI 10.1007/s13313-016-0406-7

Smita Nair, R. Manimekalai, V. P. Soumya and G. P. Rao. 2015. Taqman quantitative PCR for detection of Indian arecanut yellow leaf disease phytoplasma. Phytopathogenic Mollicutes. Vol. 5 (2): 113-116.

Manimekalai, R., Smita Nair, K.P. Gangaraj, V.P. Soumya, and G.P. Rao. 2015. Isolation and Characterization of Partial secA Gene from Coconut Root Wilt and Arecanut Yellow Leaf Disease Phytoplasma and assessment of its possible use for sero diagnostics. Indian Phytopathology. Vol 68, No 4.

Smita Nair, O. M. Roshna, V. P. Soumya, V. Hegde, M. Suresh Kumar, Ramaswamy Manimekalai, George V. 2014. Thomas Real-time PCR technique for detection of arecanut yellow leaf disease phytoplasma. Australasian Plant Pathology. DOI-10.1007/s13313-014-0278-7

Manimekalai Ramaswamy, Smita Nair, V. P. Soumya. 2014. Evidence of 16SrXI group phytoplasma DNA in embryos of root wilt diseased coconut palms. Australasian Plant Pathology. DOI- 10.1007/s13313-013-0251-x

Manimekalai R, Soumya V.P., Smita Nair, George V. Thomas, Baranwal V.K. 2014. Molecular characterization identifies 16SrXI-B group phytoplasma (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma oryzae’-related strain) associated with root wilt disease of coconut in India. Scientia Horticulturae 165:288–294

Manimekalai, R., O.M. Roshna, K.P. Gangaraj, Smita Nair, R. Viswanathan and R. Rabindran. 2014. Molecular characterization based on spermidine/putrescine ABC transporter gene of sugarcane grassy shoot (16SrXI), coconut root wilt (16SrXI), aster yellows (16SrI) and brinjal little leaf (16SrVI) phytoplasmas. Phytopathogenic Mollicutes. 4:16-21

Manimekalai Ramaswamy, Smita Nair, V. P. Soumya and George V. Thomas. 2013. Phylogenetic analysis identifies a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma oryzae’-related strain associated with yellow leaf disease of areca palm (Areca catechu L.) in India. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 63, 1376–1382

Manimekalai, R., Smita Nair, V.P. Soumya, O.M. Roshna and G.V. Thomas, 2011. Real-time PCR technique-based detection of Coconut Root (wilt) phytoplasma. Current Science. 101: 1209-1213.

Smita Nair and R. Keshavachandran, 2006. Genetic variability of Chakkarakolli (Gymnema sylvestre RBr.) in Kerala assessed using morphological and biochemical markers. Journal of Tropical Agriculture. 44:64-67

Smita Nair and R. Keshavachandran, 2006. Molecular diversity in Chakkarakolli (Gymnema sylvestre RBr.) assessed through isozyme and RAPD analysis. Journal of Tropical Agriculture. 44:31-37

Manimekalai, R., K.P. Deeshma, K.P. Manju, V.P. Soumya, M. Sunaiba, Smita Nair and K.S. Ananda. Molecular marker-based genetic variability among Yellow Leaf Disease (YLD) resistant and susceptible arecanut (Areca catechu. L.) genotypes. Indian J. Hort. 69(4), December 2012: 455-461

Manimekalai, R., V.P. Soumya, Smita Nair, Rajeev RG, Rao, GP. PCR detection of phytoplasma from different tissues of root wilt diseased coconut palms. Phytopathogenic Mollicutes. DOI: 10.5958/2249-4677.2016.00004.9(link is external)

Book Published - R. Manimekalai, George V. Thomas and Smita Nair. 2010. Manual in Bioinformatics. CPCRI, Kasargod

Book Chapters

Shylaja, M. R. & Smita Nair (2022). Omics research for crop improvement in spices. In Omics in Horticultural Crops (pp. 467-500). Academic Press.

S. Binu, Smita Nair (2022) Immunology and molecular diagnostics, In Techniques in molecular biology and plant biotechnology. Nipa publishers. pp 89-121.

Deepu Mathew, Donald James, S. Binu, Mariet Jose, Rehna Augustine, Smita Nair, M.R. Shylaja (2022) Techniques in molecular biology, In Techniques in molecular biology and plant biotechnology. Nipa publishers. pp 1-88.

R. Manimekalai, Smita Nair and Roshna OM. Diagnostics and Management Phytoplasmal Diseases, In 178 Advances in Horticulture Biotechnology (Vol-6) pg. 178-183.

Research Projects

Network project on genome editing and genomic interventions for crop improvement in major crops of Kerala - Principal Investigator (Funded by Kerala State Planning Board) – sub project “Engineering Banana Bract Mosaic Virus (BBrMV) resistance in banana through CRISPR- Cas9 genome editing system”

Development of micropropagation protocols for economically important tree crops (Funded by Kerala State Planning Board)

Development of lateral flow test strips for on-site detection of Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) (Funded by Kerala State Planning Board)

Honors and Awards

Secured First rank in PG entrance test conducted by KAU and secured University first rank in the MSc. Plant Biotechnology programme

Got 3rd prize for oral presentation at the National Seminar on “Applications of Bioinformatics in Agriculture”

Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=rdWUZUkAAAAJ

Research Gate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Smita-Nair-3

ORCID - 0000-0002-0789-468X