Dr. Jithu U. Krishnan, Junior Scientist/Scientist B

Dr. Jithu U. Krishnan

Junior Scientist/Scientist B

Dr. Jithu Unni Krishnan is an accomplished entomologist with over 10 years of post-PhD expertise in experimental design. His research spans taxonomy, ecology, ethology, invasive biology, toxicology, and pest management. He has led interdisciplinary projects, developed an IPM strategy recognized at WCRT-China, and holds a patent. A former KSCSTE and UGC-DS-Kothari Postdoctoral Fellow at IISc, he has published widely, discovered new species, and received several national and international awards. He actively mentors students, collaborates with global institutions, and engages in outreach. His current work includes ambrosia beetle studies, pollination biology, and ant behavior research.

Academic Positions

Scientist B

Kerala Forest Research Institute (2022-Present)

Asst. Professor

Mar Ivanios College (autonomous), University of Kerala, Trivandrum (September 2021 - March 2022)

UGC-DS-KOTHARI Post-Doctoral fellow

Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) (2018 -2021)

KSCSTE Post-Doctoral fellow

Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) 2018

Education

Ph.D. Zoology 2017

ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute affiliated to University of Kerala

CSIR-UGC-JRF 2012

The National Testing Agency (NTA)

GATE-Life Science 2012

National Coordinating Board (GATE)

M.Sc. Zoology 2012

University of Kerala

D.CA. Software 2012

Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Science and Technology, Gov. of Kerala

B.Sc. Zoolog 2009

University of Kerala

Other Information

Academic Honors

Travel grant aid by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)-APFISN for attending workshop at University of Brawijaya in Indonesia.
Travel grant aid by FAO and International Society of Zoological Sciences [2023] for visiting Nanging Forest Research Institute-China.
GCP 21- Travel grant award to attend the World Congress on Root and Tuber Crops. Guangxi, China [2016].

Awards

Best paper award- DST SERB Insect School held at St. Josephs college, Devagiri, Calicut [2017].
Best paper award- ADVENTOR-2015, National seminar on Advances in entomological research, Organised by University of Calicut [2015].
Best poster award in the discipline of Agricultural and Food science- 27th Kerala Science Congress, Trivandrum [2015].

Patents

Instrumental to work for an awarded Indian patent (Category: Institutional for ICAR) for the ‘Apparatus and process for extraction of biopesticides from cassava bio-wastes’. Status: patent no: 368943, date of award: June 2021
Effect of datura, tobacco mixture over-siding their individual effect on papaya mealy bug, Paracoccus mariginatus. Status: Filed patent; Patent file ref. No. 208/CHE/2012 dated: 19/01/2012
Specifically treated Cassava leaf-waste as an effective growth medium for orchid plants. Status: Communicated with state patent facilitation centre KSCSTE

Memberships

Entomological Society of India,
Root Crops society,
FAO-APFISN-D group,
Citizen Science Association-USA.,
WWF

Professional Contributions/Roles

Scientist at Forest Entomology department and research supervisor for PhD programmes in the department.
Post graduate research supervisor for MSc students affiliated to various national academic institutions.
Insect specimen curation, museum maintenance and repository management.
Principal investigator to two extension projects in KFRI.
Co-Investigator in various research and establishment projects of KFRI.
Academic programme advisory committee member of KFRI.
Annual report and Newsletter committee member of KFRI.
Seminar committee member of KFRI.
Golden jubilee compendium member of KFRI.
Member of several technical committees in KFRI.

Research Area

Range broadly in Entomology, Insect Ethology, Chemical ecology, Social behaviour, Evolution of sociality, Trophic interactions, Taxonomy, Invasive biology, Toxicology, Insect pest management and Compound characterization studies.

Most Cited Total Publications: 17

Assessment of Cassava-Leaf Bio-Fumigant Efficacy Against Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica and Their Symbiotic Bacteria Compared to the classical fumigant Phosphine. Journal of Biological Control

Ajesh G., Jithu U. Krishnan*, Jayaprakas C. A. Informatics Publishing Limited. 2230-7281 0971-930X (2025)
https://informaticsjournals.co.in/index.php/jbc

Understanding weaver ants: An appraisal of coordinated intelligence and unique survival strategies employed by the genus Oecophylla.

Jithu Unni Krishnan*, Romila Devi, Arjun Cheru Kutty Lattanzi-Schödl & Alexander Schödl (2025)
https://myrmecologicalnews.org/cms/

Where you serve the food matters over the quality and quantity for the insect visitors in the spatially separated male and female flowers within the spadix of banana cultivar, Musa acuminata var. Robusta Oriental Insects

Jithu U. Krishnan* Gitanjali G, Anju M. S., Harish E. R., Rakhi K. R. Taylor and Francis Group (2024)
https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/toin20

Evaluating Insect assemblages in the Tropical Forest Ecosystem of the Southern Western Ghats: A comparative Analysis of Standardised Sampling Strategies Employing Field-tested Protocols.

Devi R, Tholkudiyil SR, Naduvalloor T, Krishnan JU and Sajeev TV. Biologia (2024)
https://link.springer.com/journal/11756

Comparative Morphometric Analysis of the Genus Copris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) With an Old Museum Collection Specimens.

Devi R, Tholkudiyil SR, Naduvalloor T, Krishnan JU and Sajeev TV. National Academy Science Letters (2024)
https://link.springer.com/journal/40009

Characterization of Plant-Pathogenic Fungal Associate from an Invasive Ambrosia beetle (Euplatypus parallelus) Infesting Rubber Plantations of South India.

Aathira Pratap, Jithu Unni Krishnan*, Prem Das Shanmughan, Murali Revanasiddappa Current Science (2024)
https://ojspkp.currentscience.ac.in/index.php/csblr/index

Hydrothermal processing of cassava leaf biowaste for biopesticide extraction and proof for its effect in Rhyzopertha dominica and Cylas formicarius

E.R. Harish, and Jithu U. Krishnan Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (2024)
https://link.springer.com/journal/128

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