Dr. TK Hrideek, Principal Scientist

Dr. TK Hrideek

Principal Scientist

Dr T.K. Hrideek is a renowned plant geneticist and tree breeder and has extensive experience in seed orchards, macro-propagation, and tropical species conservation. He has established seed orchards, experimental plantations, and facilities for the macro propagation of various tropical species. Dr T.K. Hrideek has published widely on tree improvement, invasive species management, and the phenology of rare plants and presented his work at national and international forums. Dr T.K. Hrideek previously served on deputation as the Chief Executive Officer of the State Medicinal Plants Board (SMPB), Kerala, and held additional charge as the Managing Director of The Pharmaceutical Corporation (IM) Kerala Limited (Oushadhi).

Professional Experience

Managing Director (On Deputation)

The Pharmaceutical Corporation (IM) Kerala Limited. (Oushadhi) (2022 -2026)

Chief Executive Officer (On Deputation)

State Medicinal Plants Board Kerala (2020 - 2026)

Senior Principal Scientist

Kerala Forest Research Institute 2020

Education

Ph. D (Genetics and Plant Breeding- Botany) 2007

University of Calicut

M.Sc. (Plantation Development) 2001

University of Calicut

B.Sc. Botany 1999

University of Calicut

Other Information

Memberships

Life member, Indian Association of Angiosperm Taxonomy (IIAT)
Life Member Indian Society for Plantation Crops (ISPC)
Life Member Gregor Mendel Foundation (GMF)
Life Member - Society for Advancement of Natural Resins and Gums (SANRAG)
Life Member -Bamboo Society of India

Professional Contributions/Roles

Chief Executive Officer - State Medicinal Plants Board (SMPB), Kerala
Managing Director - The Pharmaceutical Corporation (IM) Kerala Limited (Oushadhi). (Aadditional charge)
Senate Member, University of Calicut
Executive member National AYUSH Mission, Govt of Kerala
Expert committee member, Kerala State Biodiversity board.
Convener, International Research Institute of Ayurveda - Plantation Resource group by Govt. of Kerala
Subject Expert, Varietal Evaluation committee, ICFRI
Member of Teak plantation assessment team by Kerala Forest Department.
Member, Senna eradication and Eco restoration committee, Kerala Forest Department
Member, Eco restoration committee for teak plantations of Kerala Forest Department
University Examiner: evaluation of research work of PhD scholar at department of botany University of Calicut
Advisory committee member: PhD and Post graduate students at college of forestry, Kerala Agriculture University
An External examiner For M.Sc. Student at Department of Wood Science KAU

Research Area

Genetics and tree Breeding programmes

Productivity improvement of teak and other major timber species – Plus tree selection, Progeny trial test, varietal selection and Multi-location trial for Adaptability and Performance.
Establishment of Clonal Seed Orchard and Clonal Hedge Garden.
Clonal forestry programme and Large scale multiplication of teak clones.

Medicinal Plants

Conservation Biology and Standardization vegetative propagation.
Variability of active compounds.
Performance evaluation and Repopulating medicinal/ Red listed plants in the Western Ghats.

Invasion biology

Mode of spreading, Reproductive Biology, Management of Forest Invasive Species and Conservation awareness programme.

Completed Research Projects

Scaling up of protocol for in vitro tuberization for production of quality planting material of two tuber yielding medicinal plants and promotion of organic home-stead farming as an income generation opportunity for rural women in Kerala (Phase I). (2025)
Study on reproductive constraints and seed characteristics of Terminalia paniculata Roth. (2018)
Propagation and plantation of Embelia ribes and Embelia tsjeriam-cottam: Two threatened medicinal plants. (2017)
Population analysis, seed biology and restoration of Hopea erosa and H. racophloea, two critically endangered trees of Western Ghats. (2016)
Vetiver system technology for river bank stabilisation. (2014)
Environmental impact of pesticide application in Cardamom Hill Reserves (CHR) of Southern Western Ghats. (1977)
Phytometabolomic studies in the genus embelia found in Kerala ()
Long term monitoring of Strobilanthes kunthianus in Eravikulam National Park – Phase I. ()

Most Cited Total Publications: 120

Diversity, characteristics, and co-occurrence patterns of tree microhabitats in the tropical forests of the Western Ghats, India

Bharati Patel, Hrideek T K, Peroth Balakrishnan Plant Biosystems, 158(4)(2024)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2024.2399051

Allelochemicals of the invasive tree species Senna spectabilis alleviate antioxidant enzyme activities in native plants of Western Ghats

Suby, Hrideek T K, Santhoshkumar A V Biological Invasions 26(9)(2024)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10530-024-03357-8

Reproductive biology of Senna spectabilis (DC.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby (Fabaceae) - an invasive tree species in the tropical forests of the Western Ghats, India

Muraleekrishnan .K, Sanal C Viswanath, Hrideek T K Journal of Threatened Taxa 16(5):25198-25208(2024)
http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/jott.8534.16.5.25198-25208

Diversity and abundance of tree microhabitats in the tropical forests of southern Western Ghats, India

Bharati Patel, Sreejith Sivaraman, Hrideek T K, Peroth Balakrishnan BioxRxiv(2024)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.03.23.586393

Nutripriming of Seeds with Manganese Sulphate for Better Germination and Seedling Vigour in the East Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album L.)

Jijeesh CM, P. Chitra, Hrideek T K, Kunhamu TK Journal of Plant Growth Regulation Article, Volume 41, pages 1004–1012(2022)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00344-021-10359-6

Karyotic analysis among populations of Senna spectabilis (DC.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby (Leguminosae: Caesalapinioideae), an invasive alien species of South India

Muraleekrishnan .K, Hrideek T K, Santhoshkumar AV Journal of Tropical Agriculture Vol. 60(No. 2 (2022)):206-211(2023)
https://jtropag.kau.in/index.php/ojs2/article/view/1252

Epicormic Shoot Induction and Rooting of Tectona grandis from Branch Cuttings: Influence of Growing Condition and Hormone Application

Ashwath M N, Santhoshkumar AV, Kunhamu TK, Hrideek TK, Shiran K. Indian Journal of Ecology 50(1):38-46(2023)
http://dx.doi.org/10.55362/IJE/2023/3849

Variability and plus tree selection in Swietenia macrophylla from Kerala, South India

Aleena Thomas Moor, Santhoshkumar AV, Hrideek T K, E. V. Anoop Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding 12(4):1127-1133(2022)
http://dx.doi.org/10.37992/2021.1204.155

Diversity assessment and selection of candidate plus trees of Ailanthus triphysa (Dennst.) Alston in Kerala

Jes Lalnunpuia, Santhoshkumar AV, Hrideek TK, P Manju Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding 12(1):188-194(2021)
http://dx.doi.org/10.37992/2021.1201.028

Seed germination behaviour of Terminalia paniculata Roth (Combretaceae), an economically important endemic tree to peninsular India

Hrideek T K, Sinny Francis, PK Chandrasekhara Pillai, Sanal C Viswanath Current Botany 12:110-114(2021)
http://dx.doi.org/10.25081/cb.2021.v12.6857

Alumni - Research Scholars

#	Name	Research Work
1	Sanal C Viswanath	Studies on plus tree selection, variability and seed biology of Terminalia paniculata Roth (Combretaceae) in Kerala part of peninsular India., [UOC, 2023]
2	Muraleekrishnan K.	Studies on variability, phenology and management methods of the alien invasive tree, Senna spectabilis (D.C.) Irwin & Barneby in Kerala, India., [UOC, 2024]
3	Suby	Study on the Impact of Allelochemicals of Senna spectabilis (DC.) Irwin & Barneby Invasion in Wayanad, Kerala., [UOC, 2025]

Contact

Dr. TK Hrideek

Principal Scientist
Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding
Forest Genetics and Biotechnology Division

91 - 487 - 2690273

hrideek@kfri.res.in

Dr. TK Hrideek

Dr. TK Hrideek

Professional Experience

Managing Director (On Deputation)

Chief Executive Officer (On Deputation)

Senior Principal Scientist

Education

Other Information

Memberships

Professional Contributions/Roles

Research Area

Completed Research Projects

Most Cited Total Publications: 120

Diversity, characteristics, and co-occurrence patterns of tree microhabitats in the tropical forests of the Western Ghats, India

Allelochemicals of the invasive tree species Senna spectabilis alleviate antioxidant enzyme activities in native plants of Western Ghats

Reproductive biology of Senna spectabilis (DC.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby (Fabaceae) - an invasive tree species in the tropical forests of the Western Ghats, India

Diversity and abundance of tree microhabitats in the tropical forests of southern Western Ghats, India

Nutripriming of Seeds with Manganese Sulphate for Better Germination and Seedling Vigour in the East Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album L.)

Karyotic analysis among populations of Senna spectabilis (DC.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby (Leguminosae: Caesalapinioideae), an invasive alien species of South India

Epicormic Shoot Induction and Rooting of Tectona grandis from Branch Cuttings: Influence of Growing Condition and Hormone Application

Variability and plus tree selection in Swietenia macrophylla from Kerala, South India

Diversity assessment and selection of candidate plus trees of Ailanthus triphysa (Dennst.) Alston in Kerala

Seed germination behaviour of Terminalia paniculata Roth (Combretaceae), an economically important endemic tree to peninsular India

Alumni - Research Scholars

Contact

Dr. TK Hrideek

Location

Give Us A Call

Send Us A Message