Daljit Singh Virk

Daljit Singh Virk is a retired Professor (Sr Millet Breeder) from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India and Sr Research Fellow and International Coordinator of DFID Plant Science Projects, Bangor University, Bangor, UK, and is Adjunct Professor with Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Himachel Pradesh, India. He has impacted in his work areas of participatory varietal selection (PVS) and client-oriented breeding (COB), varietal regulatory frameworks and use of marker-assisted selection for drought tolerance in upland rice, and biometrical genetics in plant breeding. His drought resistant varieties of rice developed by client-oriented breeding and also marker assisted selection for root traits (BVD 109, BVD 110, BVD 111) are grown by millions of farmers in the direct seeded uplands in India. The impact studies by the Department for International Development (DFID) UK revealed their huge benefits to farmers. He also contributed in the development of number of rice varieties for transplanted conditions (Birsa Vikas Sugandha-1, Birsa Vikas Dhan 203). He also developed a number of varieties in maize, pearl millet and wheat along with dozens of male sterile lines in pearl millet. His other notable contributions are in biometrical genetics and plant breeding, i.e., extension of theory of triple test crosses and diallels, new tests for epistasis and inter-genotypic competition, new models for analysis of induced genetic variation, new analyses for adaptation including weighted regression analysis and new tests for cross-over genotype x environment interactions, gene transfer and matromorphy, and analyses for cytolasmic differentiation using iso-cytoplasmic lines in pearl millet. He has published more than 350 papers including teaching aid bulletins and a book on plant breeding. Dr Virk led about half dozen international projects funded by DFID UK, Rockefeller Foundation, Irish Aid and European Union in many countries in South Asia and Africa. He has contributed in academic capacity building in many countries in Asia and Africa. He served as Editor and Member, Editorial Board, Crop Improvement (1987-93), and as Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Crop Improvement (2004- ). He is elected Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (1993), National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad (1995), National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi (1993), Crop Improvement Society of India (1993), Royal Society of Biology, London (and Chartered Biologist) (1990), and Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding (1986). He has won a number of honours for his work.