• Biological control
• Integrated pest management
• Endophytes mediated plant defence

• Species diversity and biological characterization of Tea mosquito bug – emerging pests of cotton:  Identification of two tea mosquito bug species, H. theivora and H. antonii, in cotton ecosystems. Developed the first comprehensive life cycle of Helopeltis theivora infesting cotton in India, documenting five nymphal instars and adult stage with total life cycle duration of 14.30±1.27 days (male) and 23.07±1.01 days (female), forming the basis for stage-specific management strategies.
• Damage assessment and standardized the sampling technology: Standardized a methodology for assessing the damage potential of tea mosquito bug in cotton. Established an optimized sampling protocol recommending observation from the top one-third of the plant, during morning hours, covering 15 plants per acre for accurate population estimation.
• Population dynamics of tea mosquito bug H. theivora in cotton: Recorded the seasonal incidence of H. theivora in cotton indicating pest occurrence from September with peak during December, and established correlations with key weather parameters for predictive pest management.
• Quantification of crop loss due to H. theivora in cotton: Quantified the crop loss, proving avoidable losses of 13.36–52.54% at varying pest densities, supporting economic threshold determination.
• Insecticide based management technology: Identified highly effective chemical combinations, with Thiamethoxam 12.60% + Lambda-cyhalothrin 9.50% ZC and Dinotefuran 20 SG achieving 92% corrected reduction, and established order of efficacy among evaluated insecticides for resistance-informed management.

Documentation of alternate host for H. theivora in cotton: Recorded and documented 25 alternate host plants of tea mosquito bug to support integrated pest management strategies and off-season survival studies.

• Attended International conference on Insect and Plant Biology, University of Delhi, d 7-8, October, 2021 (online).
• National Conference on Increasing farmer’s income, prosperity and Food Security in India, Raja Balwant Singh College, Bichpuri, Agra, 29-30th October 2021 (online).
• Golden Jubilee International conference on Global perspectives in crop protection for food security” December, 8-10,2021, TNAU, Coimbatore.
• International Conference on Recent Advances in Agricultural, Biological and Applied Sciences Research at Nowgong College, Nagaon, Assam, 8^th-9^th August, 2022 (Online).
• XVIII AZRA International Conference on “Advances in Applied Zoological Researches towards Food, Feed & Nutritional Security and Safer Environment” at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 10-11, November, 2022.

International conference on Plant Health Management – Innovation and Sustainability at PJTSAU, Hyderabad, 15-18, November,2023

INVITED LECTURES 

• Invited lecture on ‘Entomopathogenic fungi: a biopesticide as an alternative to chemicals’ in Biotech Innovation Ignition School-12 conducted by BIRACs-SRISTI during 13^th June to 3 July, 2022 at SRISTI Ahmedabad (Online). 

Invited lecture on ‘Endophytes Role in Insect Pest Management’ in ‘International Conference on Recent Advances in Agricultural, Biological and Applied Sciences Research’, Assam, India during 8^th August, 2022 (Online).

• Best poster award for the poster entitled “Record of natural parasitism on cotton mealybugs, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Tinsley) and Paracoccus marginatus (Williams and Granara de Willink)” presented in Second Biopesticide International Conference. 26-28^th November, 2009 at St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai.
• Junior Scientist of the year – 2010 by International Board of Awards of National Environmental Science Academy, New Delhi, India.
• Fellow of the Society for Biocontrol advancement -2017
• Fellow of the Society of Plant Protection Science-2018
• Agricultural Scientist Award-2021 by Vasantharaj David Foundation
• Excellence in Research Award -2021 by The Indian Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Sciences.
• Best oral presentation Award-2021 in Golden Jubilee International conference on Global perspectives in crop protection for food security during December, 8-10, Coimbatore.
• Outstanding Scientist Award – 2022 by Society for Biotic and Environmental Research

RESEARCH ARTICLES (not more than 10)

• M. Amutha, J. Gulsar Banu, T. Surulivelu and N. Gopalakrishnan. 2010. Effect of commonly used insecticides on the growth of white muscardine fungus, Beauveria bassiana under laboratory conditions. Journal of Biopesticides, Vol.3. No.1. 143-146. 
• M. Amutha and J. Gulsar Banu. 2017. Variation in Mycosis of Entomopathogenic Fungi on Mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences, 87(2):343–349. DOI 10.1007/s40011-015-0624-8. First online: 22 July 2015.
• M. Amutha. 2021. In planta colonization of Beauveria bassiana in cotton plant and its effect against insect pests. Journal of biological control. 35(3), 135-145.
• R.R. Rachana, P. Roselin, M. Amutha, K. Sireesha and G. Narasimma Reddy. 2022 Invasive pest, Thrips parvispinus (Karny) (Thysanoptera:Thripidae) – a looming threat to Indian agriculture. Current Science, Vol. 122, No.2, 25, January. p. 211-213. https://doi.org/10.18520/cs/v122/i2/211-213
• Amutha, M., Sankaranarayanan, K. & Anisha, V. 2022. Performance Assessment of Intercrops as Trap Crop for the Management of Thrips in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences. 92, 897–905. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-022-01378-8
• M. Amutha and R.R. Rachana. 2023. A new host record for the invasive thrips, Thrips parvispinus (Karny) from India. Indian Journal of Entomology, 85(4): 1009-1011. Doi.: 10.55446/IJE.2021.354
• M. Amutha. 2023. Efficacy of coloured sticky traps against thrips in cotton. Indian Journal of Entomology, 85(2): 480-482. DoI. No.: 10.55446/IJE.2021.380
• M. Amutha and R.R. Rachana. 2023. Species diversity of thrips on cotton. Indian Journal of Entomology, 85(1):78-82. Doi.:10.55446/IJE.2022.522.  
• Prabhulinga Tenguri, Sandhya Kranthi, Chinna Babu Naik, Amutha Mari, Rishi Kumar, Ruchika Suke, Vishlesh Shankar Nagrare, Nandini Gokte Narkhedkar, Vijay Namdeo Waghmare and Yenumula Gerald Prasad. 2024. The comparison of species diversity and abundance of insect natural enemies in the domesticate species of cotton using yellow pan trap method. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 2787. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48347-3

Valarmathi Pandian · Amutha Mari. 2025. Field evaluation of germplasm lines of extra-long staple cotton (Gossypium barbadense) for tobacco streak virus resistance. Euphytica (2025) 221:140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-025-03586-5

1.  Nagrare V. S., Kranthi S.,  Kumar Rishi, Dharajothi  B.,  Amutha M.,  Kranthi K. R.  (2016) Cotton. In Mealybugs and their Management in Agricultural and Horticultural crops (Edited by M. Mani  and C. Shivaraju ), pp 271-281. Published by Springer India. ISBN 978-81-322-2675-8.
2. Amutha, M. 2018. Bacterial endophytes of cotton and its colonization and motility behavior. In: A book of extended summary, International Conference on Biocontrol and Sustainable Insect Pest Management held at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Vallanad on January 29-31, 2018, Thannambikkai Publications, Coimbatore-672p. ISBN: 978-93-81102-46-6.p.583-585. 

M. Amutha, D. Kanjana, J. Annie Sheeba, P. Valarmathi  and S. Usha Rani. 2024. Emerging insect pests of cotton and their management. In Vazhvai Viruthiyaakkum Paruthi (Prosperous through Cotton) (Eds.) S. Usha Rani, A. Sampathkumar, M. Sabesh, A.H. Prakash, T.N. Sujeetha, M. Sathishkumar, G. Suresh. (Tamil) by ICAR – Central Institute for Cotton Research, Regional Station, Coimbatore. 94-103p. P. 182. ISBN. 978-93-341-0151-5

International

1. Oral presentation on “Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana inoculated cotton plants against sucking pests of cotton under field condition” at “Golden Jubilee International conference on Global perspectives in crop protection for food security’’ at TNAU, Coimbatore from 8-10, December,2021.  
2. Poster presentation on “Thrips Species Complex in Cotton from India” at “Golden Jubilee International conference on Global perspectives in crop protection for food security’’ at TNAU, Coimbatore from 8-10, December, 2021. 
3. Poster presentation on “Damaging potential of Tea mosquito bug Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse in Cotton” at “Golden Jubilee International conference on Global perspectives in crop protection for food security’’ at TNAU, Coimbatore from 8-10, December, 2021. 
4. Oral presentation on “Endophytes Role in Insect Pest Management” at “International Conference on Recent Advances in Agricultural, Biological and Applied Sciences Research” held at Nowgong College, Nagaon from 8^th-9^th August, 2022. (Online-Invited)
5. Oral presentation on “Biology of Tea Mosquito Bug Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse in cotton” at “XVIII AZRA International Conference on “Advances in Applied Zoological Researches towards Food, Feed & Nutritional Security and Safer Environment” held at Bhubaneswar, Odisha from10-11, November, 2022.
6. Oral presentation on “Development of sampling plan for tea mosquito bug Helopeltis theivora on cotton” at “International conference on Plant Health Management ICPHM 2023- Innovation and Sustainability” at PJTSAU, Hyderabad from 15-18, November, 2023. 
7. Oral presentation on “Assessment of relative toxicity level of different insecticides against thrips” at “International conference on Plant Health Management ICPHM 2023- Innovation and Sustainability” at PJTSAU, Hyderabad from 15-18, November, 2023. 

National (See the format below)Oral presentation on “Potential of Bacillus as endophytes in cotton: Towards endophytic biological control of insect pests in cotton” at “National conference on Agricultural Sciences- Increasing farmer’s income, prosperity and food security in India- 2021” from 29 to 30, October, 2021 (online).

• M. Amutha, D. Kanjana and P. Valarmathi. 2021. Integrated management strategies for thrips in cotton. Biotica Research Today, 3(10):904-906.
• M. Amutha and S. Usha Rani. 2022. Tea Mosquito Bug – A New Threat to Cotton crop. Biotica Research Today, 4(1):023-025.
• M. Amutha and S. Suriya. 2022. Climate change and cotton insect pests. Agrobios Newsletter, 21(6):54-56.
• M. Amutha and S. Suriya. 2022. Negative externalities of Insecticides. Agrobios Newsletter, 21(7):64-65
• M. Amutha, K Sankaranarayan, SP Gawande, Rishi Kumar. 2023. Diversity, Ecology and eco-compatible management of thrips in cotton ecosystem. Cotton Innovate, 6(3), 1. June. 
• Usha Rani, S, Manickam, S., Sankaranarayanan, K., Sabesh, M., Amutha. M., Valarmathi, 2022. Extension Model for Promoting the Production of Extra Long Staple Cotton in India. Cotton Innovate, 11(2), 1-2. November.
• K Shankarganesh Vishlesh Nagrare M Amutha. 2023. Detoxification mechanism for neonicotinoids and newer molecules against cotton leaf hopper. Cotton Innovate, 5(3), 1. May.

S. Vijaya Kumar, L. Harika Reddy, J. Prashanth, B. Sanjeeva Reddy, T. V. Prasad, I. Srinivas, Amutha Alagar, Y. G. Prasad, D.B. V Ramana & V.K. Singh, Eruvaka Magazine on High Density Planting System of cotton Management practices (December 2024). Pages 8-11.

• Nagrare V. S., Kranthi S., Rishi Kumar, Dharajothi B., Amutha M., Deshmukh A.J., Bisane K. D., Kranthi K. R. (2011). Compendium of Cotton Mealybugs. Technical Bulletin, Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur.
• S. Vennila, Y.G. Prasad, M. Prabhakar, Rishi Kumar, V. Nagrare, M. Amutha, Dharajyothi, Meenu Agarwal, G. Sreedevi, B. Venkateswarlu, K.R. Kranthi and O.M. Bambawale 2011, Spatio-temporal Distribution of Host Plants of Cotton Mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley in India, Technical Bulletin No. 26, National Centre for Integrated Pest Management, New Delhi P 50.
• S. Vijaya Kumar, D. Suneeth, L. Harika Reddy, J Sudharshan Reddy, B. Sai Vardhan, V.R. Mallikarjun, D. Sudheer, J. Srikrishna, P. Ramakrishna, B. Sanjeeva Reddy, I. Srinivas, K. V. Rao, T.V Prasad, Amutha Alagar, A. R. Reddy, Sheik. N. Meera, Y. G. Prasad, DBV Ramana, K. B Sridhar, Chandrakanth M.H & V. K. Singh, Technical Bulletin of Success stories on HDPS cotton (2024), 16 pages.

• Life member, Journal of Biological Control, NBAIR, Bengaluru.
• Life member, Annals of Plant Protection Sciences, IARI, New Delhi
• Life member, National Environmental Science Academy, Mumbai
• Life member, Plant Protection Association of India, NBPGR, Hyderabad.
• Life member, Indian Science Congress Association, Kolkata.
• Life member, Indian Society for Cotton Improvement
• Life member, International Cotton Advisory Committee
• Life member, Society for Biotic and Environmental Research

• Chairman, Reception and hall arrangement committee
• Member, Farm produce disposal committee
• Member, Interview committee member (YP/JRF/SRF)

• Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav
• Vikshit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan