ICAR-CIARI

Discipline	Fruit Science
Research interests and current focus:	Underutilized fruits, wild relatives of fruit crops, micropropagation, postharvest management
Research Experienced (in years):	07 Years
e-mail Id:	pooja.bohra@icar.gov.in
Mobile No	+91 9933263442

Ongoing
	Conservation, bioprospection and utilization of selected underutilized fruit species of Bay Islands (Institute funded, 2021 onwards)
	Interventions for promotion of urban and peri-urban horticulture in the islands through immunity boosting fruits, spices and herbs (NABARD funded, 2020 onwards)
Completed
	In vitro mass multiplication, characterization & habitat enrichment of two horticulturally important underutilized species from Andaman & Nicobar Islands (DBT, New Delhi funded, 2017-2020)
	Collection, characterization, evaluation and mass multiplication of unconventional native and exotic fruit crops for bay islands (Institute funded, 2015-2021).
	Development of protocols for micro-propagation of selected fruit crops for Bay Islands (Institute funded, 2015-2020)

	Identified Blood fruit (Haematocarpus validus) as a novel fruit crop cum natural colourant from Andaman Islands
	Identified Andaman Kokum (Garcinia dhanikhariensis) as a novel crop for Andaman Islands
	Identified superior germplasm of blood fruit, Andaman Kokum and Malabar tamarind

	Received Best Oral Presentation Award for research paper entitled "First report on in vitro regeneration in Musa indandamanensis: an endemic wild banana species from Andaman and Nicobar Islands" authored by Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and R. Karthika Devi during International E-Conference on "Advances and Future Outlook in Biotechnology and Crop Improvement for Sustainable Productivity" organized by UHS, Bagalkot
	Served as a Member of Panel during National Workshop on ‘Development of in vitro regeneration protocol in oil palm: challenges and Opportunities’ organized by ICAR-IIOPR, Pedavegi
	Received DBT- BioCARe Women Scientist Fellowship (2017-2020)
	Served as a Reviewer for DBT-BIRAC-SITARE-GYTI (Gandhian Young Technological Innovation) award
	Adjudged as the Best Young Scientist of the Institute (2018-19)
	Received Outstanding Reviewer Award- 2018 for the journal Scientia Horticulturae (Elsevier)
	Serving as an Editor of Journal of Horticulture and Forestry
	Served as a Reviewer for Food Chemistry, Scientia Horticulturae [Elsevier]; Current Science [Current Science Association, India]; Biodiversity and
	Conservation, Journal of Food Science and Technology, Plant Growth Regulation and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India, Section B: Biological Sciences, Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Plant Physiology Reports, National Academy Science Letters [Springer-Nature]; International Journal of Fruit Science [Taylor and Francis]; The Philippine Agricultural Scientist [University of the Philippines, Los Baños]; African Journal of Agricultural Research, African Journal of Biotechnology, Journal of Horticulture and Forestry and International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation [Academic Journals]; Fruits [ISHS, Belgium]
	Received ICAR- Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research in Horticulture for the year 2014.
	Recipient of DST-INSPIRE Fellowship for Doctoral Degree
	Recipient of UAS-B University Gold Medal – 2010 and Dr. J.C. Anand Prize (Gold Medal)- 2010
	Recipient of ICAR-JRF for Masters’ Degree

Selected Research articles:
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and R. Karthika Devi (2021). Seed fatty acid composition and germination studies in Garcinia dhanikhariensis S.K. Srivastava (Clusiaceae) – a novel tropical fruit species from Bay Islands, India. International Journal of Fruit Science, 21(1): 970-978. DOI: 10.1080/15538362.2021.195192
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman, S. Senthil Kumar and H. Lembisana Devi (2021). Morphological and physicochemical studies in blood fruit (Haematocarpus validus Bakh. f. ex Forman): A tropical fruit and natural colorant. South African Journal of Botany https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2021.05.002
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and N.A. Giri, 2021, Garcinia andamanica King. (Clusiaceae): an important horticultural genetic resource from Indian Islands. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 68: 1675-1689. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-021-01136-1
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2020, Air layering under protected condition: a new technique for year-round propagation. Journal of the Andaman Science Association, 25(2): 147-150.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and R. Karthika Devi, 2020, Seed germination in blood fruit (Haematocarpus validus (Miers.) Bakh. f. ex Forman) as influenced by substrates. Current Agriculture Research Journal, 8(2): 104-107.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and B.A. Jerard, 2020, Seed germination and storage studies in seed fertile Musa indandamanensis and its conservation. South African Journal of Botany, 128: 161-166.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman, T.K. Roy and K.S. Shivashankara, 2019, Blood fruit (Haematocarpus validus (Miers.) Bakh. f. ex Forman): a novel source of natural food colourant. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 57(1): 381-389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-019-04064-2.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and B.A. Jerard, 2019, Accelerating regeneration of threatened wild banana (Musa paramjitiana L.J. Singh) endemic to Andaman and NicobarIslands, India. Current Science, 116(11): 1792-1794.
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2019, Morphological and Biochemical Studies in Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) Roxb. Erwerbs-Obstbau, 61(3): 217-223. DOI:10.1007/s10341-019-00419-3
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2019, Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.): A Potential Crop for Increasing Incomes of Island Farmers. Journal of the Andaman Science Association, 24(1): 9-13.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman, Debabrata Basantia, Hidangmayum Lembisana Devi and Ezekiel Reang, 2018, Domestication and conservation efforts in Haematocarpus validus (Miers.) Bakh. F. ex Forman: an underutilized fruit species and natural colourant. Current Science, 115(6): 1098-1105.
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2018, Observations on occurrence of polyembryony in four species from Bay Islands, India. Indian Forester, 144(3): 311-312.
	Pooja Bohra and Waman A.A., 2017, Spondias dulcis L.: An important acidulant species in Bay Islands. International Journal of Forest Usufructs Management, 18: 25-29.
Selected Books Chapters:
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and S. Senthil Kumar, 2021, Haematocarpus validus (Miers.) Bakh. f. ex Forman (Menispermaceae). In: (Waman A.A. and Bohra P., Eds.) Perennial Underutilized Horticultural Species of India. Jaya Publishing house, Delhi, India, pp. 199-208. ISBN: 93-90611-38-5
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and R. Karthika Devi, 2021, Musa indandamanensis L.J. Singh (Musaceae). In: (Waman A.A. and Bohra P., Eds.) Perennial Underutilized Horticultural Species of India. Jaya Publishing house, New Delhi, India, pp. 219-225. ISBN: 93-90611-38-5.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and S. Senthil Kumar, 2021, Garcinia andamanica King (Clusiaceae). In: (Waman A.A. and Bohra P., Eds.) Perennial Underutilized Horticultural Species of India. Jaya Publishing house, Delhi, India, pp. 123-130. ISBN: 93-90611-38-5.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman, R. Karthika Devi and S. Senthil Kumar, 2021, Garcinia dhanikhariensis S.K. Srivastava (Clusiaceae). In: (Waman A.A. and Bohra P., Eds.) Perennial Underutilized Horticultural Species of India. Jaya Publishing house, Delhi, India, pp. 144-151. ISBN: 93-90611-38-5.
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2019, Conservation of horticultural genetic resources. In: (Eds. B. Gangaiah et al.) An overview of integrated farming systems of coastal India. ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair, pp. 55-59.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and Sanjay Mishra, 2019, Crop Wild Relatives of Selected Perennial Horticultural Crops in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. In: (Eds. P.E. Rajasekharan and V. Ramanatha Rao) Conservation and Utilization of Horticultural Genetic Resources. Springer-Nature. pp. 425-450.
	R.K. Gautam, S. Dam Roy, A.A. Waman, Pooja Bohra, I. Jaisankar, V. Damodaran, K. Sakthivel and T. Bharathimeena, 2018, Status and strategic plan for the sustainable development of horticulture sector in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep groups of Islands, India: Horticultural development in tropical Indian Islands. In: (Eds. D. Mandal, A.C. Shukla and M.W. Siddiqui) Sustainable Horticulture vol. 2: Food, Health, and Nutrition, Apple Academic Press, USA, pp. 145-166.
	Pooja Bohra, Waman A.A. and Anuraj A., 2017, Biotechnology as a tool for conservation and sustainable utilization of plant and seaweed genetic resources of Tropical Bay Island, India. In: (Eds. Bhore S.J., Marimuthu K. and Ravichandran M.) Biotechnology for Sustainability: Achievements, challenges and perspectives, AIMST University, Malaysia, pp. 295-304.
	Waman A.A., Bohra P., Sathyanarayana, B.N. and Hanumantharaya B.G. (2015). In vitro approaches in medicinal plants- a viable strategy to strengthen the resource base of plant based systems of medicines, In: Biotechnological approaches for sustainable development, Pullaiah T. (Ed.), Regency Publications, New Delhi, India. pp. 141-156.
Selected extension literature:
	Ajit Arun Waman and Pooja Bohra, 2019, Seed germination techniques for selected underutilized species of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Technical Bulletin, ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, pp.24.
	Bohra P., Waman A.A., Sakthivel, K., Gautam R.K. and Dam Roy S. (2016). Plant Tissue Culture: A viable technique for augmenting the productivity of banana in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Technical Bulletin, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair. pp. 1-12.
	Bohra P., Waman A.A., Gautam R.K. and Dam Roy S. (2016). Paadap Utak Samvardhan: Andaman wa Nicobar Dweepsamooho me kele ki utpadakta badhane ki prabhavi takneek. Technical Bulletin, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair. pp. 1-12.
	Bohra P., Waman A.A. and Dam Roy S. (2016). Khoon phal (Haematocarpus validus (Miers.) Bakh. f. ex Forman). Technical Bulletin,, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair, pp. 1-8.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and B.A. Jerard, 2018, Carambola/ Kaamrakh. Extension Leaflet, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Arun Waman and B.A. Jerard, 2018, Sweet carambola. Extension Leaflet, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair.
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2018, Khoonphal: Sanrakshan tatha pravardhan. Extension Leaflet, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair.
Selected Popular articles: :
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2020, Bringing back the glory of blood fruit: a success story of conservation through cultivation. The Daily Telegrams, English Daily, June 28, 2020.
	Ajit Arun Waman and Pooja Bohra (2020). CIARI-ProDhaniya: A technology for pro-tray cultivation of Burmese coriander to promote urban farming. The Echo of India, Port Blair, October 28, 2020.
	Ajit Arun Waman and Pooja Bohra, 2020, Time to cultivate woody pepper for better profits! The Echo of India, English Daily, July 8, 2020.
	Pooja Bohra, 2020, Boost your immunity: eat more fruits. Andaman Sheekha, English Daily, May 13, 2020.
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2019, Malabar Tamarind: a profitable introduction for the Bay Islands. Spice India, 32(4): 15-18.
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2019, Malabar imli: khaari k dweep k liye ek laabhdayak aarambh. Spice India, 4(4): 15-18. (Hindi)
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2019, Malabar Tamarind: the Introduced Relative of Native Cow Phal. The Echo of India, August 3, 2019.
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman (2019). The rainy Season has arrived: let’s plant cherries. The Echo of India, July 31, 2019.
	Ajit Arun Waman, Pooja Bohra, B. Augustine Jerard and H.P. Maheshwarappa, 2019, Coconut climbing devices and dehuskers for the Nicobarese. Indian Coconut Journal, 61(11): 23-24.
	Pooja Bohra and Ajit Arun Waman, 2018, खूनफल: वनों से गृहवाटिकाओं की ओर. Bagwani, 8: 29-30.
	Ajit Waman and Pooja Bohra, 2017, Sweet carambola: A wonder fruit for the islands. The Daily Telegrams (English Daily), Port Blair, 16th April, 2017.
	A.A. Waman, Pooja Bohra, D. Basantia and Gayatri Chakraborty, 2017, Sweet husk type coconut from the Bay Islands. Indian Coconut J., 54: 31-32.
	Ajit Waman, Pooja Bohra, D. Basantia, B.L. Kashinath (2016) Pepper cultivation: An Andaman experience. Spice India 29(9): 28-30.
	Bohra P., Waman A.A., Gautam R.K., Dam Roy S. (2015) Mangosteen- A potential crop for the Islands. The Echo of India (English Daily), Port Blair, 2nd November, 2015.
	Pooja Bohra, Ajit Waman, Gourish Karanjalker and P.K. Singh (2015) Chakotra- Ek anootha nimbu. UdyanRashmi, 15(1-2): 39-41. Singh S., Pooja Bohra, Waman A.A., Baskaran V. and Dam Roy S., 2015, Career opportunities in horticulture. The Echo of India (English Daily), Port Blair, 12th February, 2015.

	Professional Attachment Training at ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru from 12.05.2014 to 12.08.2014.
	Summer school on "Contemporary methods of conservation and management of horticultural genetic resources" at ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru from 07.06.2016 to 27.06.2016.
	ICAR Sponsored Short course on "Flow Cytogenetics and Molecular Techniques for Improvement of Horticulture Crops" at ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla from 10.02.2020 to19.02.2020.
	State level three days training programme on Gender Budgeting organized by Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI and JNRM, Port Blair from 20.02.2020 to 22.02.2020.
	Virtual MDP for Women in Development Sector organized by MANAGE, Hyderabad from 14.12.2020 to 18.12.2020.
	Online training Programme on "Enhancing Research Skills and Refinement of Technology by a Scientist" organized by ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru from 18.01.2021 to 20.01.2021.

	Developed macro and micropropagation protocol for the first time in wild endemic banana Musa sabuana (syn. M. indandamanensis).(Developer)
	Developed a novel approach for round the year air layering of perennial horticultural species(Developer)
	Developed value added products from Andaman Kokum and mango ginger (Curcuma mangga)(Developer)
	Developed propagation techniques for multiplication of underutilized fruits such as Garcinia dhanikhariensis, Haematocarpus validus, Garcinia kydia, Musa paramjitiana, Semecarpus kurzii, Semecarpus prainii, etc.(Developer)
	Developed hanging structure for cultivation of Burmese coriander (Dweep HanGreens)-Technology licensed(Co-Developer)
	Developed novel pro-tray cultivation systems for Burmese coriander viz. Dweep ProDhaniya and Dweep ProDhaniya Multi(Co-Developer)
	Developed closed water circulation system for extraction of phytochemicals (Dweep AquaSaver).(Co-Developer)

	Life member of ARS Scientists Forum
	Life member of Andaman Science Association, Port Blair.
	Life member of Society for Promotion of Horticulture, Bengaluru
	Life member of National Academy of Biological Sciences, Chennai

Dr. Pooja Bohra

Senior Scientist