Dr Rohan Khopade is a Scientist working in ICRISAT Development Centre (IDC) cluster of the Global Research Program ‘Resilient Farm and Food Systems’ at ICRISAT and conducting research in different horticultural systems to enhance the productivity and quality of fruits and vegetables. Dr Rohan's expertise in grafting has helped standardize the rootstock-scion combinations to manage crop-specific biotic and abiotic stresses in solanaceous and cucurbitaceous vegetable crops.
Dr Rohan has demonstrated capabilities in designing diverse fruit tree-based agroforestry models that help in addressing the low farm productivity and environmental concerns in drylands. Dr Rohan is skillful in cultivating high-value crops using micro-irrigation and fertigation under controlled environmental conditions viz. shade net, naturally ventilated polyhouse (NVPH),t and evaporative cooling greenhouse.
Dr Rohan is involved in multiple bilateral and CSR projects focused towards the planning and setting of Hi-tech nurseries, multi-storied cropping systems and crop diversification through high-value fruits, vegetables and flowers. Dr Rohan is scaling up site-specific income generating models and promoting horticulture-centric production and value chain development for improving rural livelihoods.
Dr Rohan is a doctorate in Horticulture (Fruit Science) with a research specialization on “Role of growth regulators, bio-fertilizers and micronutrients in Sapota” from the Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari and has ten years of experience in the field of horticulture.