Dr. Debabrata Panda

Assistant Professor, Department of Biodiversity & Conservation of Natural ResourcesCentral University of Odisha, Koraput, Odisha, IndiaMob: 91-9437511187; Email: dpanda80@gmail.com / dpanda@cuo.ac.inORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8019-3062Web of Science Researcher ID: K-3369-2019 ; Scopus Author ID: 7102938170You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV7lr9mklyia4ODhSU08p0w?view_as=subscriberGoogle Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=X9wFsAIAAAAJ&hl=en

Qualification: MSc., MPhil., Ph.D. (Botany), NET

About me

Dr. Debabrata Panda was born on 26th May 1980. Presently he is working as Senior Assistant Professor in the Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources at Central University of Odisha from 21st May, 2012. Prior to joining he has served as Scientist-B at Rubber Research Institute of India, Meghalaya. He did his MSc & MPhil degree in Botany from Utkal University and PhD from Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack in 2008. He has made significant contributions in the field of collection, evaluation and popularization of indigenous rice, millet and other wild crop species of Koraput for tribal food and nutritional security. Dr. Panda collected more than 130 vital genetic resources of indigenous rice, 30 local finger millets, 30 local accessions of Niger and 08 different wild edible Yams from different tribal pockets of Koraput and taking initiative for conservation and commercialization to boost the local economy of tribal people. His group identified some climate resilient indigenous rice landraces (Kalajeera, Machhakanta and Haldichudi) of Koraput which showed high level of tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. He has identified one high protein and low glycemic index rice “Kalajeera” popular aromatic variety for better consumption of diabetic patient and initiative for commercial production and GI tagging. Dr. Panda identified some wild yam for mass consumption, commercialization and prepared value-added bakery products for ensuring tribal food and nutritional security and boost the local economy of tribal people. During his 20 years of Academic and Research experiences, he has been credited with 115 publications in International and National journals and published 10 Books and 40 book chapters. He has successfully guided 9 MPhil and 6 PhD thesis and 113 MSc. dissertation at Central University of Orissa.

Work Experience

Assistant Professor at Department of Biodiversity & Conservation of Natural Resources, Central University of Odisha, Koraput-764020, Odisha, India from 21.05.2012 to preset...
Scientist-B at Rubber Research Institute of India (Rubber Board), Kerala, India from 01.12.2010 - 17.05.2012

Projects

1. Science and Technology Department, Govt of Odisha funded project entitled ‘Molecular characterization of selected indigenous rice landraces of Jeypore tract of Odisha in relation to drought stress tolerance’ completed in March 2022.

2. Science and Technology Department, Govt of Odisha funded project entitled ‘Metabolite Profiling and Bioprospecting of Underutilized Wild Yams (Dioscorea spp.) used by Tribals of Koraput, Odisha’ started during December 2022.

3. Science and Technology Department, Govt of Odisha funded Collaborative Research Project in Biotechnology entitled Molecular Profiling of Indigenous Finger millet Genotypes of Northern Eastern Ghats region in Southern Odisha for Nutritional traits and Climate resilience started during Septemeber 2023.

4. Principal Investigator (PI) in Department of Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment, Govt of Odisha funded Consultant Project entitled “Study on nutritional analysis & microbial diversity associated with local landraces of selected crops and commodities in the Similipal landscape” started during April 2025.

Research Area

Molecular mechanism of abiotic stress tolerance in Rice.
Neglected wild and Underutilized Crops.
Biodiversity assessment of floral groups

Teaching Specialization

Plant Biochemistry
Plant Physiology
Biotechnology

Recent Publications

1. A. Panda, S.K. Lenka, D. Kumar, D. Panda (2026). Physiological and molecular profiling of drought-tolerant finger millet genotypes from Koraput region of South Odisha. J. Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13562-026-01047-1. (Springer; ISSN: 0971-7811; IF:1.9).

2. D. Panda, P. K. Behera, S.K. Bishi, S. K. Lenka et al. (2025) Nutritional and Nutraceutical Richness of Unexploited Folk Aromatic Rice Landraces from Eastern Ghats of India. Agricultural Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40003-025-00874-3. (Springer, ISSN: 2249-7218, IF: 1.4).

3. D. Panda, S. K. Padhi and L. Biswal, (2025) Differential drought tolerance responses in Indigenous Niger (Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass.) accessions from Eastern Ghats of India. Vegetos. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42535-025-01342-7. (Springer, ISSN 2229-4473).

4. Panda, P. K. Behera, S. K. Lenka (2025) The influence of leaf vein density on yield physiology of indica rice landraces from Eastern Ghats of India. Cereal Research Communications. 53, 325–335, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-024-00545-z. (Springer, ISSN 0133-3720, IF: 1.6).

5. D. Panda, P. Muni, A. Panda, K. Lenka (2024) Nutritional and nutraceutical richness of neglected little millet genotypes from Eastern Ghats of India: implications for breeding and food value. Planta, 259: 37, doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04314-w. (Springer, IF: 4.300; ISSN: 0032-0935).3.

Awards/ Honours/ Fellowship

1. Plant Physiology Award 2023 by the Orissa Botanical Society (OBS) in its 46th Annual Conference of OBS held during 17th-18th December 2023.

2. Nature Conservation Award 2023 by the Orissa Environmental Congress (OEC) in its 14th Annual Conference of OEC held during 22-23 December 2023.

3. Research Excellence Award-2021 by Institute of Scolar, Bangalore, India

4. Best article award in the Celebration of International year of rice-2004, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), The Philippines.

5. Young Scientist award by Orissa Botanical Society in 30th Annual conference of Orissa Botanical Society – 2005, India.

DETAILS LIST OF AWARDS

News/ Social Media

Research News in Web-Portal

You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV7lr9mklyia4ODhSU08p0w?view_as=subscriber

Vigyan Prasar: https://vigyanprasar.gov.in/isw/Koraputs-wild-crops-possess-immense-potential-for-nutritional-security-&-health-benefits.html

The Better India: https://www.thebetterindia.com/258335/odisha-tribals-koraput-wild-fruit-yam-crops-solve-india-nutrition/

News: https://www.hastakshepnews.com/koraputs-wild-crops-possess-immense-potential-for-nutritional-security-health-benefits/

https://www.magzter.com/news/954/2474/072021/e1osq

https://digitpatrox.com/professor-shares-how-odishas-wild-yams-are-better-in-nutrition-than-farmed-fruits/

https://republicnewsindia.com/koraputs-wild-crops-possess-immense-potential-for-nutritional-security-health-benefits/

https://delhipostnews.com/koraputs-wild-crops-possess-immense-potential-for-nutritional-security/

https://www.organiser.org/Encyc/2021/7/8/Koraput-s-Wild-Crops-Possess-Immense-Potential-for-Nutritional-Security-Health-Benefits.amp.html

https://indusscrolls.com/koraputs-wild-crops-possess-immense-potential-for-nutritional-security-health-benefits/

https://www.facebook.com/Farmfruz/posts/dr-debabrata-panda-did-his-research-on-agro-biodiversity-underutilised-plant-spe/1541760769510314/

https://fnb-reporter.com/professor-shares-how-odishas-wild-yams-are-better-in-nutrition-than-farmed-fruits/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZH3v9pZyULh5tQupHXBUDi1_AicUoa2g/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UP-Y7WmQLKIvxFFYcOvjchPzJPAb6U3k/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y6f33zsvo4lYtrylRqu9qayKCCBDkd13/view?usp=sharing

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