VARUN SAINI

@hau.ac.in

Assistant Professor in Department of Entomology
CCS Haryana Agricultural University Hisar

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Insect Science, Animal Science and Zoology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Scopus Publications

197

Scholar Citations

Scholar h-index

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

Discovery of the digger wasp genus Pseudoscolia Radoszkowski, 1876 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Philanthinae: Pseudoscoliini) in Indian Subcontinent, with description of a new species
VARUN SAINI
Magnolia Press
The digger wasp genus Pseudoscolia Radoszkowski, 1876 is newly reported from India with a new species: Pseudoscolia anuae Saini sp. nov. from the State of Haryana.

First record of subgenus Corynopus Lepeletier and Brullé, 1835 (Genus Rhopalum Stephens, Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini) from India: a new species and a key to Asian species of the subgenus
VARUN SAINI and DEBJANI DEY
Magnolia Press
The subgenus Corynopus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835 of the genus Rhopalum Stephens, 1829 is recorded for the first time from India. A new species, viz., Rhopalum (Corynopus) chettalicum, (India: Karnataka) is described. A key and the checklist of all Asian species of the subgenus Corynopus are provided.

Tecomella undulata (Sm.) Seem (Lamiales: Bignoniaceae), a New Host Plant for Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)
Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi, Sunil Joshi, Vipula Vyas, and Varun Saini
Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Understanding How Silicon Fertilization Impacts Chemical Ecology and Multitrophic Interactions Among Plants, Insects and Beneficial Arthropods
Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi, Ipsita Samal, Deepak Kumar Mahanta, J. Komal, Dinesh Jinger, Manas Ranjan Sahoo, Gobinda Chandra Achary, Priyanka Nayak, Sunil Kumar Sunani, Varun Saini,et al.
Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Nutritional aspects and dietary benefits of “Silkworms”: Current scenario and future outlook
Deepak Kumar Mahanta, J. Komal, Ipsita Samal, Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi, Vinod Kumar Dubey, Kiranamaya Pradhan, Aarthi Nekkanti, M. N. Rudra Gouda, Varun Saini, Nikita Negi,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
In the current scenario, it is estimated that by 2050, there will be an additional 2.5 billion people and a 70% increase in food demand. Crop yields are not increasing fast enough to support global needs, and world agriculture is facing several serious challenges. Therefore, insects can be a nutritious alternative to meet the ever-increasing food demand in the present and future. The majority of insect consumption occurs in developing countries, with approximately 1,900 insect species consumed worldwide. Food and feed derived from them are of high quality, have a high feed conversion ratio and emit a low level of greenhouse gases. Among insects silkworms are beneficial to humans, not only because of their high nutritional value, but also because of their several pharmacological properties. Silkworm eggs, larvae, and pupae contains high amount of proteins, oils, minerals, vitamins, and several other beneficial components which are nutritious as well as have positive effect on human health. Studies have shown that silkworm pupae protect the liver, enhance immunity, inhibit apoptosis, inhibit cancer, inhibit tumor growth, inhibit microbial growth, regulate blood glucose and blood lipids, and lower blood pressure. This review paper summerized the nutritional value of different life stages of silkworm, nutritional comparison of silkworm with the major human foods, and the effects of silkworm consumption on human health, thus ittargets to generate interest toward in sericulture and improve human health by using silkworm as a nutritious food and attain sustainability in food and nutritional security.

Combatting insects mediated biotic stress through plant associated endophytic entomopathogenic fungi in horticultural crops
Ipsita Samal, Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi, Prasanta Kumar Majhi, Sneha Murmu, Asit Kumar Pradhan, Dilip Kumar, Varun Saini, Amit Umesh Paschapur, M Nikhil Raj, Ankur,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Horticultural production is a vital catalyst for economic growth, yet insect infestations reduce horticultural crop yield and quality. Pesticides and other pest control methods are used during planting to eliminate pests that cause direct and indirect losses. In such situations, endophytic entomo-pathogenic fungi (EEPF) can act as a potential tools for biological control. They protect plants by boosting growth, nutrition, morpho-physiology and salt or iron tolerance. Antixenosis, antibiosis and plant tolerance change insect performance and preferences. EEPF- plant colonisation slows herbivore development, food consumption, oviposition and larval survival. EEPF changes plant physio-chemical properties like volatile emission profile and secondary metabolite production to regulate insect pest defences. EEPF produces chitinases, laccases, amylases, and cellulases for plant defence. Recent studies focused on EEPF species’ significance, isolation, identification and field application. Realizing their full potential is difficult due to insufficient mass production, storage stability and formulation. Genetic-molecular and bioinformatics can help to build EEPF-based biological control systems. Metagenomics helps study microbial EEPF taxonomy and function. Multi-omics and system biology can decode EEPF interactions with host plants and microorganisms. NGS (Next Generation Sequencing), comparative genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, metatranscriptomics and microarrays are used to evaluate plant-EEPF relationships. IPM requires understanding the abiotic and biotic elements that influence plant-EEPF interaction and the physiological mechanisms of EEPF colonisation. Due to restricted research, there are hundreds of unexplored EEPFs, providing an urgent need to uncover and analyse them.

Tree Adaptive and Reclamation Mechanisms in Managing Waterlogged Saline Habitats: Prospectus and Impediments
Rakesh Banyal, Varun Saini, Neha Saini, Rajkumar, Manish Kumar, and Kuldeep
Springer Nature Singapore

Diversity of Crabronid wasp fauna (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini) in the spice ecosystem
Varun Saini, Debjani Dey, and Narottam Kumar Meena
Diva Enterprises Private Limited

Insect-pathogen crosstalk and the cellular-molecular mechanisms of insect immunity: uncovering the underlying signaling pathways and immune regulatory function of non-coding RNAs
Deepak Kumar Mahanta, Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi, J. Komal, Ipsita Samal, R. M. Nikhil, Amit Umesh Paschapur, Gaurav Singh, P. V. Dinesh Kumar, H. R. Desai, Mohammad Abbas Ahmad,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Multicellular organisms are constantly subjected to pathogens that might be harmful. Although insects lack an adaptive immune system, they possess highly effective anti-infective mechanisms. Bacterial phagocytosis and parasite encapsulation are some forms of cellular responses. Insects often defend themselves against infections through a humoral response. This phenomenon includes the secretion of antimicrobial peptides into the hemolymph. Specific receptors for detecting infection are required for the recognition of foreign pathogens such as the proteins that recognize glucans and peptidoglycans, together referred to as PGRPs and βGRPs. Activation of these receptors leads to the stimulation of signaling pathways which further activates the genes encoding for antimicrobial peptides. Some instances of such pathways are the JAK-STAT, Imd, and Toll. The host immune response that frequently accompanies infections has, however, been circumvented by diseases, which may have assisted insects evolve their own complicated immune systems. The role of ncRNAs in insect immunology has been discussed in several notable studies and reviews. This paper examines the most recent research on the immune regulatory function of ncRNAs during insect-pathogen crosstalk, including insect- and pathogen-encoded miRNAs and lncRNAs, and provides an overview of the important insect signaling pathways and effector mechanisms activated by diverse pathogen invaders.

Understanding the Genetics and Genomics of Vegetable Grafting to Ensure Yield Stability
Prasanta Kumar Majhi, Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi, Kishore Chandra Sahoo, Nityamanjari Mishra, Sukumar Tudu, Sujata Das, Monika Ray, Sangeeta Singh, Ipsita Samal, Partha Pratim Behera,et al.
Springer Nature Singapore

Insight into aphid mediated Potato Virus Y transmission: A molecular to bioinformatics prospective
Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi, Ipsita Samal, Prasanta Kumar Majhi, J. Komal, Deepak Kumar Mahanta, Asit Kumar Pradhan, Varun Saini, M. Nikhil Raj, Mohammad Abbas Ahmad, Partha Pratim Behera,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Potato, the world's most popular crop is reported to provide a food source for nearly a billion people. It is prone to a number of biotic stressors that affect yield and quality, out of which Potato Virus Y (PVY) occupies the top position. PVY can be transmitted mechanically and by sap-feeding aphid vectors. The application of insecticide causes an increase in the resistant vector population along with detrimental effects on the environment; genetic resistance and vector-virus control are the two core components for controlling the deadly PVY. Using transcriptomic tools together with differential gene expression and gene discovery, several loci and genes associated with PVY resistance have been widely identified. To combat this virus we must increase our understanding on the molecular response of the PVY-potato plant-aphid interaction and knowledge of genome organization, as well as the function of PVY encoded proteins, genetic diversity, the molecular aspects of PVY transmission by aphids, and transcriptome profiling of PVY infected potato cultivars. Techniques such as molecular and bioinformatics tools can identify and monitor virus transmission. Several studies have been conducted to understand the molecular basis of PVY resistance/susceptibility interactions and their impact on PVY epidemiology by studying the interrelationship between the virus, its vector, and the host plant. This review presents current knowledge of PVY transmission, epidemiology, genome organization, molecular to bioinformatics responses, and its effective management.

Dasyproctus helenae, a new species of solitary hunting wasp from India and a checklist of Dasyproctus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835 from the Indian subcontinent (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini)
VARUN SAINI and DEBJANI DEY
Magnolia Press
A new species of genus Dasyproctus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835 is described from India: Dasyproctus helenae Saini and Dey n. sp. A checklist is provided for all Dasyproctus species reported from the Indian subcontinent. 

Advances in Molecular Breeding for Bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) Resistance in Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]: A Review
Prasanta Kumar Majhi, Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi, Suma C. Mogali, Aalok Shiv, Kishore Chandra Sahoo, and Varun Saini
Agricultural Research Communication Center
Mungbean is one of the most important grain legumes with high-quality dietary protein in India as well in many other Asian countries. But the crop is severely affected by bruchids (Callosobruchus spp.) from field to storage condition. These storage pests not only affect the yield but also reduce the market value and quality of the crops. The chemical method of bruchid management is not economical and environmentally unsafe. So, the host-plant resistance to bruchids would be the best alternative and most sustainable way to control the bruchid. A very limited number of wild accessions and cultivated genotypes are available for the transfer of bruchid resistance gene through conventional breeding. Thus, insights into the molecular mechanism of resistance will help to find out the resistance genes/QTLs easily with the support of available genome sequence and that can be introgressed to the cultivated varieties through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB) approach. Therefore, in this review, we focused on QTL mapping, identification of novel QTLs, marker assisted-selection, genomics and transcriptomics study by using advanced molecular tools which will be very helpful for genomic-assisted breeding in mungbean for bruchid resistance.

First record of subgenus Thao Tsuneki, 1982 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini) from India: a new subspecies and a key to all subspecies of Crossocerus (Thao) nitidicorpus Tsuneki
VARUN SAINI and DEBJANI DEY
Magnolia Press
The subgenus Thao Tsuneki, 1982 of the genus Crossocerus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835 is recorded for the first time from India. A new subspecies viz., Crossocerus (Thao) nitidicorpus indicus, (India: Uttarakhand) is described. A key to all subspecies in the subgenus Thao is provided.

Description of Rhopalum (s. str.) gulmargense n. sp. with a key to the Indian species of the subgenus Rhopalum Stephens, 1829 s. str. (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini)
VARUN SAINI and DEBJANI DEY
Magnolia Press
A new species of the genus Rhopalum is described from India: Rhopalum (s. str.) gulmargense Saini & Dey. A key to the Indian species of the subgenus Rhopalum s. str. and a checklist of all Indian Rhopalum are provided.

Two new species of the solitary hunting wasp genus Ectemnius (Hymenoptera Crabronidae), with a key to the Indian species of the subgenus Hypocrabro

Panjal, a new subgenus of the genus Crossocerus (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), with description of a new species from Pakistan
V. Saini and D. Dey
Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
A new subgenus Panjal subgen. nov. of the genus Crossocerus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau et Brullé, 1835 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabroninae: Crabronini) is described from Pakistan, with C. dutti sp. nov. as a type species. The characters for distinguishing the new species from other species of Crossocerus known on the Indian Subcontinent are provided. An updated checklist of the genus Crossocerus of the Indian Subcontinent is given.

The solitary wasp genus Piyuma Pate, 1944 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabroninae) in India, with description of a new species
Varun Saini and Debjani Dey
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT The genus Piyuma Pate from India is reviewed, and a new species, Piyuma chapraensis (Bihar: Chapra), is described and illustrated. Furthermore, two subspecies of P. prosopoides, viz., makilingi and iwatai are redescribed with illustrations. A checklist is provided for all Piyuma species reported from the Indian subcontinent. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:91AD2C75-AAC0-4B92-AFA4-6D59ECBA7421

Contribution to the knowledge of little known Crabronid wasps (Hymenoptera: Crabronini) of India
Varun Saini and Debjani Dey
Diva Enterprises Private Limited

Revision of hunting wasp genus crabro (Crabronidae) with redescription of crabro flavoniger dutt
Varun Saini and Debjani Dey
Diva Enterprises Private Limited
Holotype of the hunting wasp Crabro flavoniger Dutt, 1921 which was mentioned as deposited at the British Museum of Natural History, London (BMNH) is in the National Pusa Collection (NPC), IARI, New Delhi, India. This species is redescribed herein with additional diagnostics and illustrations. The male of this is still unknown. An annotated checklist of the genus Crabro from India with two species is included.

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

Discovery of the digger wasp genus Pseudoscolia Radoszkowski, 1876 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Philanthinae: Pseudoscoliini) in Indian Sub-continent, with
V Saini
Zootaxa 5541 (4), 593-600 2024

Tecomella undulata (Sm.) Seem (Lamiales: Bignoniaceae), a New Host Plant for Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)
TK Bhoi, S Joshi, V Vyas, V Saini
National Academy Science Letters, 1-6 2024

First record of subgenus Corynopus Lepeletier and Brull, 1835 (Genus Rhopalum Stephens, Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini) from India: a new species and a key to Asian
V Saini, D Dey
Zootaxa 5507 (3), 467-477 2024

Understanding how silicon fertilization impacts chemical ecology and multitrophic interactions among plants, insects and beneficial arthropods
TK Bhoi, I Samal, DK Mahanta, J Komal, D Jinger, MR Sahoo, GC Achary, ...
Silicon 15 (6), 2529-2549 2023

Nutritional aspects and dietary benefits of “Silkworms”: Current scenario and future outlook
DK Mahanta, J Komal, I Samal, TK Bhoi, VK Dubey, K Pradhan, ...
Frontiers in Nutrition 10, 1121508 2023

Diversity of Crabronid wasp fauna (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini) in the spice ecosystem
V Saini, D Dey, NK Meena
Journal of Entomological Research 47 (4), 797-800 2023

Understanding the genetics and genomics of vegetable grafting to ensure yield stability
PK Majhi, TK Bhoi, KC Sahoo, N Mishra, S Tudu, S Das, M Ray, S Singh, ...
Smart plant breeding for vegetable crops in post-genomics era, 69-98 2023

Combatting insects mediated biotic stress (IMBS) through plant associated endophytic entomopathogenic fungi (EEPF) in horticultural crops
I Samal, TKK Bhoi, PK Majhi, S Murmu, AK Pradhan, D Kumar, V Saini, ...
Frontiers in Plant Science 13, 5460 2023

Two new species of the solitary hunting wasp genus Ectemnius (Hymenoptera Crabronidae), with a key to the Indian species of the subgenus Hypocrabro.
V Saini, D Dey
Bulletin of Insectology 75 (2) 2022

Dasyproctus helenae, a new species of solitary hunting wasp from India and a checklist of Dasyproctus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brull, 1835 from the Indian subcontinent
V Saini, D Dey
Zootaxa 5195 (2), 155-162 2022

Panjal, a new subgenus of the genus Crossocerus (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), with description of a new species from Pakistan
V Saini, D Dey
Zoosystematica Rossica 31 (1), 87-97 2022

Description of Rhopalum (s. str.) gulmargense n. sp. with a key to the Indian species of the subgenus Rhopalum Stephens, 1829 s. str.(Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini).
V Saini, D Dey
Zootaxa 5105 (1), 139-144 2022

Insight into aphid mediated potato virus Y transmission: A molecular to bioinformatics prospective
TK Bhoi, I Samal, PK Majhi, J Komal, DK Mahanta, AK Pradhan, V Saini, ...
Frontiers in Microbiology, 4112 2022

Advances in Molecular Breeding for Bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) Resistance in Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]: A Review
PK Majhi, TK Bhoi, SC Mogali, A Shiv, KC Sahoo, V Saini
Legume Research-An International Journal 45 (8), 933-941 2022

The solitary wasp genus Piyuma Pate, 1944 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabroninae) in India, with description of a new species
V Saini, D Dey
Oriental Insects 2021

Contribution to the knowledge of little known Crabronid wasps (Hymenoptera: Crabronini) of India
V Saini, D Dey
J. ent. Res 45, 1074-79 2021

Revision of hunting wasp genus Crabro (Crabronidae) with redescription of Crabro flavoniger Dutt
V Saini, D Dey
Indian Journal of Entomology 82 (1), 36-39 2020

Revision of the genus Cnaphalocrocis (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae) occurring on rice in Tamil Nadu, India
V Saini , Ramaraju K, and Chitra N
International Journal of Agriculture Sciences, ISSN, 0975-3710 2017

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

Species diversity and distribution of Cnaphalocrocis and Scirpophaga (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) species complex in rice in Tamil Nadu, India
V Saini, S Singh, R Rawal, YN Venkatesh
Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 5 (4), 1308-13 2017
Citations: 11

Occurrence of new stem borer species, Scirpophaga virginia Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae from Tamil Nadu, India and its taxonomic re-description
V Saini, K Ramaraju, N Chitra
Ecology, Environment and Conservation 23 (3), 325-328 2017
Citations: 5

The solitary wasp genus Piyuma Pate, 1944 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabroninae) in India, with description of a new species
V Saini, D Dey
Oriental Insects 2021
Citations: 2

Two new species of the solitary hunting wasp genus Ectemnius (Hymenoptera Crabronidae), with a key to the Indian species of the subgenus Hypocrabro.
V Saini, D Dey
Bulletin of Insectology 75 (2) 2022
Citations: 1

Panjal, a new subgenus of the genus Crossocerus (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), with description of a new species from Pakistan
V Saini, D Dey
Zoosystematica Rossica 31 (1), 87-97 2022
Citations: 1

Contribution to the knowledge of little known Crabronid wasps (Hymenoptera: Crabronini) of India
V Saini, D Dey
J. ent. Res 45, 1074-79 2021
Citations: 1

Revision of hunting wasp genus Crabro (Crabronidae) with redescription of Crabro flavoniger Dutt
V Saini, D Dey
Indian Journal of Entomology 82 (1), 36-39 2020
Citations: 1