Dr. Jeevitha D

Dr. Jeevitha D is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Horticulture at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, where she has been serving since May 2022. She holds a Ph.D. in Horticulture from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, with a specialization in Horticulture, an M.Sc. (Agri.) in Horticulture from the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, and a B.Sc. in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot. She has qualified the National Eligibility Test conducted by the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Her academic and research expertise includes horticultural crop production, vegetable breeding, onion and garlic improvement, hybrid seed production, protected cultivation, nursery management, plant protection, and crop improvement. Her doctoral research focused on genetic studies, fertigation scheduling and planting methods in onion, while her master’s research examined spacing and fertigation effects on the growth, yield and quality of onion hybrid Arka Lalima. She has contributed to onion hybrid development using male sterility, development of high total soluble solids white onion lines for processing and dehydration, genetic diversity studies, seed production techniques, and crop improvement research. Her research interests also extend to vegetable crops, floriculture, fruit and plantation crops, micropropagation, and sustainable horticultural practices.

Dr. Jeevitha D has contributed to research publications covering onion, watermelon, brinjal, tomato, ridge gourd, water apple, banana, papaya, cucumber, grapes, chickpea and other horticultural crops, with publications appearing in Scopus-indexed and NAAS-rated journals. Her scholarly contributions also include book chapters, conference abstracts, popular articles, and radio talks on horticultural production and crop management. She received a student fellowship under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Onion and Garlic, secured a gold medal for attaining the highest OGPA in her doctoral programme at UAS Dharwad, and received the Young Women Scientist Award in 2023. She is also associated with a published patent titled “Smart Nanotechnology Integrated Aquaponic System.”

At Karunya, Dr. Jeevitha D has handled UG and PG courses including Production Technology of Vegetables and Spices, Ornamental Crops, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and Landscaping, Fruit and Plantation Crops, Micropropagation Technologies, and Production and Processing of Plantation Crops. She has designed and implemented Experiential Learning Programmes on small onion production and storage, commercial nursery management, protected cultivation, and floriculture and landscaping, and has guided postgraduate students in research planning, experimentation and thesis preparation. She has also undertaken academic and administrative responsibilities as PG Divisional Coordinator, NAAC Coordinator, Eduserve Coordinator, Examination Coordinator, PG Admission Coordinator and Student Discipline Coordinator, besides contributing to curriculum development, academic planning, protected cultivation, horticulture laboratory and garden management, and institutional events.