Dr Sundar Kalaipandian obtained his BSc (Agriculture) and MSc (Plant Breeding and Genetics) from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India. He worked as a senior research fellows at Sugarcane Breeding Institute in India. He then went to undertake his PhD in Biotechnology at Academia Sinica, Taiwan. He received a postdoctoral fellowship from Academia Sinica. He got a postdoctoral position to work at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and moved to Australia. He worked for University of Adelaide and Biosecurity Queensland. Then, he joined as a research fellow at the University of Queensland. Currently, he received an Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship project to develop a commercial tissue culture protocol on date plam.
Sundar has developed expertise in genetics, plant breeding, biotechnology, genomics, and bioinformatics during his career. He has specialized in the development of abiotic and biotic stress tolerant varieties. He has worked on several plant species including sugarcane, rice, maize, Arabidopsis, wheat, coconut, date palm, Australian native plant species and weeds. He has experience in developing strong collaborations with national and international organizations, and private industries. He is interested in commercialization of scientific technologies for farmers and bringing various technologies to field. He is also interested to work on Australian native plant species and environmental factors that affect their germination and growth. Apart from scientific skills, he is taking various roles in preparation of collaborative agreements, biosecurity documents, project and budget management activities.
Journal Article: Chemical Management Strategies of Pimelea trichostachya Lindl. Using Pre- and Post-Emergence Herbicides
Saleem, Rashid, Campbell, Shane, Fletcher, Mary T., Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Chemical Management Strategies of Pimelea trichostachya Lindl. Using Pre- and Post-Emergence Herbicides. Plants, 13 (10) 1342, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/plants13101342
Journal Article: Interactions between seed functional traits and environmental factors and their influence on germination performance of Australian native species
Beveridge, Fernanda C., Williams, Alwyn, Cave, Robyn, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Dayananda, Buddhi and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Interactions between seed functional traits and environmental factors and their influence on germination performance of Australian native species. Seed Science Research, 1-16. doi: 10.1017/s0960258523000235
Journal Article: Environmental effects during early life-history stages and seed development on seed functional traits of an Australian native legume species
Beveridge, Fernanda C., Williams, Alwyn, Cave, Robyn, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Haque, Mirza M. and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Environmental effects during early life-history stages and seed development on seed functional traits of an Australian native legume species. Biology, 13 (3) 148. doi: 10.3390/biology13030148
Applications-oriented elucidation of germination triggers for Emu Bush seed
(2023–2027) ARC Linkage Projects
A cloning technology to advance Australian date industry
(2023–2026) Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships
(2020–2024) Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Genetic diversity of coconut populations prioritised for breeding and conservation in Papua New Guinea
Doctor Philosophy
Interactions between seed functional traits and climate change in the Australian flora: implications for seed-based restoration
Doctor Philosophy
EX SITU CONSERVATION OF COCONUT (Cocos nucifera L.) GERMPLASM USING CRYOPRESERVATION
(2022) Doctor Philosophy
Tissue culture and genomics study on date palm
Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship project on the development of commercial tissue culture technology for date palm is available for students.
Coconut mapping and genome sequencing
Mapping of the coconut growing and suitable region in Australia and DNA-sequencing of the Australian coconut population is available for students.
Breeding and genetics for coconut improvement
Perera, Lalith, Ramaswamy, Manimekalai, Dissanayake, Pavani Dulanja, Yang, Chongxi and Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian (2024). Breeding and genetics for coconut improvement. The coconut: botany, production and uses. (pp. 111-125) edited by Steve W. Adkins, Julianne M. Biddle, Amirhossein Bazrafshan and Sundaravelpandian Kalaipandian. Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United States: CABI. doi: 10.1079/9781789249736.0008
Kong, Eveline Y.Y., Mu, ZhiHua, Vidhanaarachchi, Vijitha R. M., Nguyen, Quang Thien, Sisunandar, Sisunandar, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Panis, Bart (2024). Coconut biotechnology. The coconut: botany, production and uses. (pp. 143-158) edited by Steve W. Adkins, Julianne M. Biddle, Amirhossein Bazrafshan and Sundaravelpandian Kalaipandian. Wallingford, United Kingdom: CABI. doi: 10.1079/9781789249736.0010
Coconut production under a changing climate
Hebbar, Kukkehalli Balachandra, Ramesh, Shunmugiah Veluchamy, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Coconut production under a changing climate. The coconut: botany, production and uses. (pp. 46-57) edited by Steve W. Adkins, Julianne M. Biddle, Amirhossein Bazrafshan and Sundaravelpandian Kalaipandian. Wallingford, Oxford, United States: CABI. doi: 10.1079/9781789249736.0004
Global coconut trade, economy and the value chain
Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Biddle, Julianne and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Global coconut trade, economy and the value chain. Botany, production and uses. (pp. 193-205) edited by Steve W. Adkins, Julianne M. Biddle, Amirhossein Bazrafshan and Sundar Kalaipandian. London, United Kingdom: CABI. doi: 10.1079/9781789249736.0013
Physiological and nutritional disorders of coconut
Ramesh, Shunmugiah Veluchamy, Hebbar, Kukkehalli Balachandra, Bhat, Ravi, Subramanian, Periasamy, Sukumar, P. Abhin, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Physiological and nutritional disorders of coconut. The coconut: botany, production and uses. (pp. 83-98) edited by Steve W. Adkins, Julianne M. Biddle, Amirhossein Bazrafshan and Sundaravelpandian Kalaipandian. Wallingford, Oxford, United States: CABI. doi: 10.1079/9781789249736.0006
Biodiversity for nutritive gains: values, benefits, and threats
Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, V.S., Ramesh, Beveridge, Fernanda Caro, Mu, Zhihua and Adkins, Steve (2022). Biodiversity for nutritive gains: values, benefits, and threats. Conceptualizing plant-based nutrition: bioresources, nutrients repertoire and bioavailability. (pp. 1-17) edited by Ramesh S.V. and Shelly Praveen. Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-19-4590-8_1
Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Xue, Gang-Ping (2018). Rapid and quantitative CELD assay to measure the specificity of transcription factor-DNA-binding interactions and identify cis-elements. Plant description factors: methods and protocols. (pp. 307-324) edited by Nobutoshi Yamaguchi. New York, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8657-6_18
Saleem, Rashid, Campbell, Shane, Fletcher, Mary T., Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Chemical Management Strategies of Pimelea trichostachya Lindl. Using Pre- and Post-Emergence Herbicides. Plants, 13 (10) 1342, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/plants13101342
Beveridge, Fernanda C., Williams, Alwyn, Cave, Robyn, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Dayananda, Buddhi and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Interactions between seed functional traits and environmental factors and their influence on germination performance of Australian native species. Seed Science Research, 1-16. doi: 10.1017/s0960258523000235
Beveridge, Fernanda C., Williams, Alwyn, Cave, Robyn, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Haque, Mirza M. and Adkins, Steve W. (2024). Environmental effects during early life-history stages and seed development on seed functional traits of an Australian native legume species. Biology, 13 (3) 148. doi: 10.3390/biology13030148
Poisonous Plants of the Genus Pimelea: A Menace for the Australian Livestock Industry
Saleem, Rashid, Bajwa, Ali Ahsan, Campbell, Shane, Fletcher, Mary T., Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve W. (2023). Poisonous Plants of the Genus Pimelea: A Menace for the Australian Livestock Industry. Toxins, 15 (6) 374, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/toxins15060374
Saleem, Rashid, Campbell, Shane, Fletcher, Mary T., Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve (2023). Factors affecting the germination ecology of Pimelea trichostachya and its relationship to field emergence. Plants, 12 (11) 2112, 1-15. doi: 10.3390/plants12112112
Beveridge, Fernanda Caro, Williams, Alwyn, Cave, Robyn, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve W. (2023). Seed morpho-anatomy and germination enhancement of the Australian native species Lomandra longifolia Labill. and L. hystrix (R.Br.) L.R. Fraser & Vickery. Applied Biosciences, 2 (2), 222-235. doi: 10.3390/applbiosci2020016
Chemical Management of Senecio madagascariensis (Fireweed)
Wijayabandara, Kusinara, Campbell, Shane, Vitelli, Joseph, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve (2023). Chemical Management of Senecio madagascariensis (Fireweed). Plants, 12 (6) 1332, 1-14. doi: 10.3390/plants12061332
A practical framework for the cryopreservation of palm species
Nguyen, Van-Anh, Nguyen, Phuong Thao, Le, Minh-An, Bazrafshan, Amirhossein, Sisunandar, Sisunandar, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Adkins, Steve W. and Nguyen, Quang Thien (2023). A practical framework for the cryopreservation of palm species. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Plant, 59 (4), 425-445. doi: 10.1007/s11627-023-10330-y
Coconut callus initiation for cell suspension culture
Kong, Eveline Y. Y. , Biddle, Julianne , Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian and Adkins, Steve W. (2023). Coconut callus initiation for cell suspension culture. Plants, 12 (4) 968, 968. doi: 10.3390/plants12040968
Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Powell, Jonathan, Karunakaran, Aneesh, Stiller, Jiri, Adkins, Steve, Kage, Udaykumar, Kazan, Kemal and Fleury, Delphine (2023). Transcriptome analysis of heat shock factor C2a over-expressing wheat roots reveals ferroptosis-like cell death in heat stress recovery. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 (4) 3099, 3099. doi: 10.3390/ijms24043099
Fruit biology of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.)
Beveridge, Fernanda Caro, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Yang, Chongxi and Adkins, Steve W. (2022). Fruit biology of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.). Plants, 11 (23) 3293, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/plants11233293
Cloning coconut via somatic embryogenesis: a review of the current status and future prospects
Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Mu, Zhihua, Kong, Eveline Yee Yan, Biddle, Julianne, Cave, Robyn, Bazrafshan, Amirhossein, Wijayabandara, Kusinara, Beveridge, Fernanda Caro, Nguyen, Quang and Adkins, Steve W. (2021). Cloning coconut via somatic embryogenesis: a review of the current status and future prospects. Plants, 10 (10) 2050, 1-16. doi: 10.3390/plants10102050
Ferroptosis: yet another way to die
Kazan, Kemal and Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian (2019). Ferroptosis: yet another way to die. Trends in Plant Science, 24 (6), 479-481. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.03.005
Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Xue, Gang-Ping, Rae, Anne L., Glassop, Donna, Bonnett, Graham D. and McIntyre, Lynne C. (2019). Overexpression of TaCML20, a calmodulin-like gene, enhances water soluble carbohydrate accumulation and yield in wheat. Physiologia Plantarum, 165 (4), 790-799. doi: 10.1111/ppl.12786
Shivalingamurthy, Suresha G., Anangi, Raveendra, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Glassop, Donna, King, Glenn F. and Rae, Anne L. (2018). Identification and functional characterization of sugarcane invertase inhibitor (ShINH1): a potential candidate for reducing pre- and post-harvest loss of sucrose in sugarcane. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9 598, 598. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00598
Hu, Xiao-Jun, Chen, Dandan, Mclntyre, C. Lynne, Dreccer, M. Fernanda, Zhang, Zheng-Bin, Drenth, Janneke, Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian, Chang, Hongping and Xue, Gang-Ping (2018). Heat shock factor C2a serves as a proactive mechanism for heat protection in developing grains in wheat via an ABA-mediated regulatory pathway. Plant, Cell and Environment, 41 (1), 79-98. doi: 10.1111/pce.12957
Nair, N. V., Mohanraj, K., Sunadaravelpandian, K., Suganya, A., Selvi, A. and Appunu, C. (2017). Characterization of an intergeneric hybrid of Erianthus procerus x Saccharum officinarum and its backcross progenies. Euphytica, 213 (12) 267. doi: 10.1007/s10681-017-2053-7
GU04(28) EO-2: a novel intergeneric hybrid between Erianthus procerus and Saccharum officinarum
Nair, N. V., Mohanraj, K. and Pandian, K. S. (2016). GU04(28) EO-2: a novel intergeneric hybrid between Erianthus procerus and Saccharum officinarum. Journal of Sugarcane Research, 6 (1) 3, 63-64.
Dixit, Shalabh, Biswal, Akshaya Kumar, Min, Aye, Henry, Amelia, Oane, Rowena H., Raorane, Manish L., Longkumer, Toshisangba, Pabuayon, Isaiah M., Mutte, Sumanth K., Vardarajan, Adithi R., Miro, Berta, Govindan, Ganesan, Albano-Enriquez, Blesilda, Pueffeld, Mandy, Sreenivasulu, Nese, Slamet-Loedin, Inez, Sundarvelpandian, Kalaipandian, Tsai, Yuan-Ching, Raghuvanshi, Saurabh, Hsing, Yue-Ie C., Kumar, Arvind and Kohli, Ajay (2015). Action of multiple intra-QTL genes concerted around a co-localized transcription factor underpins a large effect QTL. Scientific Reports, 5 (1) 15183. doi: 10.1038/srep15183
ALFIN-LIKE 6 is involved in root hair elongation during phosphate deficiency in Arabidopsis
Chandrika, Nulu Naga Prafulla, Sundaravelpandian, Kalaipandian, Yu, Su-May and Schmidt, Wolfgang (2013). ALFIN-LIKE 6 is involved in root hair elongation during phosphate deficiency in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist, 198 (3), 709-720. doi: 10.1111/nph.12194
Chandrika, Nulu Naga Prafulla, Sundaravelpandian, Kalaipandian and Schmidt, Wolfgang (2013). A PHD in histone language: on the role of histone methylation in plant responses to phosphate deficiency. Plant Signaling and Behavior, 8 (6) e24381. doi: 10.4161/psb.24381
Sundaravelpandian, Kalaipandian, Chandrika, Nulu Naga Prafulla and Schmidt, Wolfgang (2013). PFT1, a transcriptional Mediator complex subunit, controls root hair differentiation through reactive oxygen species (ROS) distribution in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist, 197 (1), 151-161. doi: 10.1111/nph.12000
PFT1-controlled ROS balance is critical for multiple stages of root hair development in Arabidopsis
Sundaravelpandian, Kalaipandian, Chandrika, Nulu Naga Prafulla, Tsai, Yi-Hsiu and Schmidt, Wolfgang (2013). PFT1-controlled ROS balance is critical for multiple stages of root hair development in Arabidopsis. Plant Signaling and Behavior, 8 (5). doi: 10.4161/psb.24066
Manganese deficiency alters the patterning and development of root hairs in Arabidopsis
Yang, Thomas Ju Wei, Perry, Paula Jay, Ciani, Silvano, Pandian, Sundaravel and Schmidt, Wolfgang (2008). Manganese deficiency alters the patterning and development of root hairs in Arabidopsis. Journal of Experimental Botany, 59 (12), 3453-3464. doi: 10.1093/jxb/ern195
Pollen-pistil interaction in the inter-specific crosses of Sesamum sp
Ram, S. Ganesh, Sundaravelpandian, K., Kumar, M., Vinod, K. K., Bapu, J. R. Kannan and Raveendran, T. S. (2006). Pollen-pistil interaction in the inter-specific crosses of Sesamum sp. Euphytica, 152 (3), 379-385. doi: 10.1007/s10681-006-9225-1
Heterosis breeding in rice for higher yields
Senguttuvel, P., Bapu, J. R. K. and Pandian, K. S. (2006). Heterosis breeding in rice for higher yields. Plant Archives, 6 (1) 9, 261-263.
Caro Beveridge, Fernanda, Williams, Alwyn, Cave, Robyn, Kalaipandian, Sundar and Adkins, Steve (2023). Post-anthesis maternal environmental effects on seed traits of the native Australian grass Heteropogon contortus. 10th World Conference on Ecological Restoration, Darwin, NT Australia, 26-30 September 2023.
Caro Beveridge, Fernanda, Williams, Alwyn, Cave, Robyn, Kalaipandian, Sundar and Adkins, Steve (2023). Interactions between seed functional traits and environmental stressors and their influence on seed germination of Australian native species. 14th Biennial ISSS Conference: Seed science in a changing world, Paris, France, 3-7 July 2023.
Am Hidden, Feeling Hot! Do Something!”–Heat Stress on Wheat Roots
Kalaipandian, Sundaravelpandian , Rae, Anne L., Xue, Gangping and McIntyre, C. Lynne (2018). Am Hidden, Feeling Hot! Do Something!”–Heat Stress on Wheat Roots. Plant and Animal Genome XXVI Conference, San Diego, CA, United States, 13-17 January 2018.
Use of SSR markers for the identification of interspecific and intergeneric hybrids of Saccharum.
Vijayan, Nair N., Selvi, A., Ramraj, S. Suresh and Sundaravel Pandian, K. (2006). Use of SSR markers for the identification of interspecific and intergeneric hybrids of Saccharum. . Second National Plant Breeding Congress, Plant Breeding in post genomics era, Coimbatore, India, 1-3 March 2006. Coimbatore, India: Indian Society of Plant Breeders.
Applications-oriented elucidation of germination triggers for Emu Bush seed
(2023–2027) ARC Linkage Projects
A cloning technology to advance Australian date industry
(2023–2026) Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships
(2020–2024) Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Genetic diversity of coconut populations prioritised for breeding and conservation in Papua New Guinea
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Interactions between seed functional traits and climate change in the Australian flora: implications for seed-based restoration
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Carbon and Nitrogen cycling through diverse cover crop system
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
EX SITU CONSERVATION OF COCONUT (Cocos nucifera L.) GERMPLASM USING CRYOPRESERVATION
(2022) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Overcoming bottlenecks in the pathway of clonal propagation of coconut (cocos nucifera L.)
(2022) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
Tissue culture and genomics study on date palm
Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship project on the development of commercial tissue culture technology for date palm is available for students.
Coconut mapping and genome sequencing
Mapping of the coconut growing and suitable region in Australia and DNA-sequencing of the Australian coconut population is available for students.