Dr. M. Muralidhar

After taking a master's in 1989 and Ph.D. in 1994, I am working in ICAR-CIBA since 1994 on various topics related to brackishwater aquaculture and environment-related aspects. I currently work in the Environment Section of the Aquatic Animal Health and Environment Division in CIBA. I have contributed to the development of carrying capacity based planning software for optimization of shrimp aquaculture development in the country, environment impact assessment protocols for shrimp aquaculture, hatchery wastewater treatment model, fabrication of floating chamber for collection of greenhouse gases flux, inventory from aquaculture systems, carbon sequestration potential of aquaculture ponds, the vulnerability of aquaculture to climate change, fabrication of soil core sampler for collection of samples at the sediment-water interface, advisories on the application of inputs such as lime materials, bleaching powders, and mineral mixtures, and better management practices.

• Environmental sustainability of brackishwater aquaculture -Environment impact assessment, environmental monitoring, shrimp farms wastewater characterization and treatment and carrying capacity estimation studies.
• Climate change and brackishwater aquaculture – impacts, mitigations and adaptations; contribution of aquaculture to climate change; Greenhouse gases emission, Life cycle analysis, carbon sequestration and methanogenesis.
• Addressing the soil and water quality management issues in shrimp culture ponds – Better management practices, Sediment-water interface studies, portable water analysis kits and products for the improvement of soil and water quality.

• Norman Borlaug Fellowship
• NAIP Foreign training Fellowship
• Best poster presentation awards (2 times)

• Muralidhar, M and B.P Gupta. 2007. Quality of water discharged from shrimp hatcheries and its impact on surrounding coastal environment. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 54 (2): 189-194.
• Muralidhar, M.,Gupta, B.P and Jayanthi, M. 2005. Quantity –Intensity relationship and fixation of phosphorus in soils from shrimp farming areas of Coastal India. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 52 (4):421-431.
• Ayyappan, S., Muralidhar, M. and M.Krishnan. 2005. Tsunami and coastal aquaculture: Implications for soil profile, structure and productivity. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science, 54 (4): 558-565.
• Kathyayani, S.A., Poornima, M., Sukumaran, S., Nagavel, A. and Muralidhar, M., 2019. Effect of ammonia stress on immune variables of Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei under varying levels of pH and susceptibility to white spot syndrome virus. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 184, p.109626.
• Jayanthi M,.Thirumurthy, S., Muralidhar M, Ravichandran. P.2018. Impact of shrimp aquaculture development on important ecosystems in India, Global environmental change, 52 10-21. .https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.05.005.

• Saraswathy, R., Muralidhar, M., Balasubramanian, C.P., Rajesh, R., Suvana, S., Kumararaja, P., Syama Dayal, J., Satheesha Avunje., Nagavel, A., Vijayan, K.K. 2020. Osmo-ionic regulation in whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, exposed to climate change-induced low salinities. Aquaculture Research, 52, 771- 782.
• Kumaran, M., Geetha, R., Jose Antony, Kumaraguru Vasagam, K.P., Anand, P.R., Ravisankar, T., Raymond Jani Angel, J., De, Debasis., Muralidhar, M., Patil, P.K and Vijayan, K.K. 2020. Prospective impact of Corona virus disease (COVID-19) related lockdown on shrimp aquaculture sector in India – a sectoral assessment. Aquaculture 531 (2021) 735922.
• Jayanthi, M., Thirumurthy, S., Samynathan, M., Kumararaja, P., Muralidhar, M., Vijayan, K.K. 2021. Multi-criteria based geospatial assessment to utilize brackishwater resources to enhance fish production. Aquaculture, 537, 736528.