Standardization and extension of agrotechnologies of commercially important crops

Played a key role in revival of Kangra tea industry and introduction of tea in non-traditional areas in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh 

Introduced large cardamom cultivation in Himachal Pradesh

Introduced low chilling apple varieties in Mizoram state

Initiated large scale cultivation of aromatic crops under CSIR Aroma Mission (As Nodal Scientist from CSIR-IHBT)

Member of Research Advisory Group (RAG) of Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI), Shimla, nominated by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun

Member, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development Centre, NIT, Hamirpur

Chaired a session on Natural Farming - Present Status and Future Strategies, Conference on Doubling Farmers’ Income: Challenges and Strategies, organized by AGRIVISION – Himachal Pradesh, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, April 24, 2018

Member of National Group on Plant Protection in Tea 

Best paper award on Organic Tea Farming at International Tea Conference in 2003

Major Extension Activities 

Extension programme/Trainings organized: 200+, TV talks: 32, Documentaries: 3             

Technical Folders on Agrotechnologie released:

Tea Farm Mechanization (6-page)

Him Sphurti (CSIR-IHBT-T-01) – A Cultivar of China Hybrid Tea (4-page)

Fertilizer Management in Tea (4-page)

Production of Quality Tea Crop (6-page)

Tea Plucking (6-page)

Control of Diseases and Insect-pests in tea and Irrigation needs of Kangra Tea (4-page)

Weed Control in Tea (4-page)

Young Tea planting in Kangra Valley (4-page)

Selected Publications 

Rishu Thakur, K. C. Sharma, Ashu Gulati, R.K. Sud and Arvind Gulati 2017.  Stress-tolerant Viridibacillus arenosi strain IHB B 7171 from tea rhizosphere as a potential broad-spectrum microbial inoculant. Indian Journal of Microbiology 57(2). DOI: 10.1007/s12088-017-0642-8

R.K. Sud. 2014. Tea in the Western Himalayas. Planters’ Chronicle India July: 5-28

A. Kumar, K.R. Manjunath, Meenakshi, Renu Bala, R.K. Sud, R.D. Singh, S. Panigrahy. 2013. Field hyperspectral data analysis for discriminating spectral behavior of tea plantations under various management practices. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 23:  352-359. 

R. Joshi, Poonam, V. Sharma, R. Prasad, R.K. Sud, A. Gulati. 2012.Analysis of the essential oil of large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) growing in different agro-climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh, India. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.5886

S. Singh, R.K. Sud, A. Gulati, R. Joshi, A.K. Yadav and R.K. Sharma. 2012. Germplasm appraisal of western Himalayan tea: a breeding strategy for yield and quality improvement. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. DOI:10.1007/s10722-012-9938-z

P. Chand, R. Sharma, R. Prasad, R.K. Sud, Y.B. Pakade. 2011. Determination of Essential & Toxic Metals and Its Transversal Pattern from Soil to Tea Brew. Food and Nutrition Sciences 2:1160-1165.

S. Rajkumar, S. Karthigeyan, R.K. Sud, et al. 2010. Genetic diversity of Indian tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) germplasm detected using morphological characteristics. J Cell & Plant Sci 1 (1):  13-22.

A. Gulati, S. Rajkumar, S. Karthegeyan, R.K. Sud, et al. 2009. Catechin and Catechin Fractions as Biochemical Markers to Study the Diversity of Indian Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) Germplasm. Chemistry & Biodiversity 6(7): 1042–1052 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.200800122

Book 

P.S. Ahuja, A. Gulati, R.D. Singh, R.K. Sud and R.C. Boruah (Eds). 2013.  Science of Tea Technology. Scientific Publishers, India. 476 p.

Book Chapters

P.K. Pal, S. Singh and R.K. Sud. 2019. Advances in Weed Management in Tea. In: Weed Control: Sustainability, Hazards, and Risks in Cropping Systems Worldwide (Eds. Nicholas E Korres, Nilda R Burgos, Stephen O Duke). Taylor & Francis Group, CPC Press. pp 442-454.

R.D. Singh, R.K. Sud and P.K. Pal. 2014. Integrated Weed Management in Plantation Crops. In Recent Advances in Weed Management (Eds: Chauhan BS and Mahajan G), Springer Science-Business Media, New York. pp 255-280.

Brajinder Singh and R.K. Sud. 2013. History of Tea in India. In: Science of Tea Technology (Eds: P.S. Ahuja, Arvind Gulati, R.D. Singh; R.K. Sud and R.C. Boruah).  Scientific Publishers, India. pp 1-11.

R.K. Sud. Tea Propagation. 2013. In: Science of Tea Technology (Eds: P.S. Ahuja, Arvind Gulati, R.D. Singh; R.K. Sud and R.C. Boruah).  Scientific Publishers, India. pp 88-120.

R.K. Sud. Tea Pruning. 2013. In: Science of Tea Technology (Eds: P.S. Ahuja, Arvind Gulati, R.D. Singh; R.K. Sud and R.C. Boruah). Scientific Publishers, India. pp 144-180.

R.K. Sud. Tea Plucking. 2013. In: Science of Tea Technology (Eds: P.S. Ahuja, Arvind Gulati, R.D. Singh; R.K. Sud and R.C. Boruah). Scientific Publishers, India. pp 181-219.

A. Gulati and R.K. Sud. Disease Management in Tea. 2013. Science of Tea Technology. In: Science of Tea Technology (Eds: P.S. Ahuja, Arvind Gulati, R.D. Singh; R.K. Sud and R.C. Boruah).  Scientific Publishers, India. pp 279-300.

A. Gulati, A.L. Veni, R.K. Sud, A. Shanker, D.K. Tewary, M. Thakur, G. Nadda, A. Kumar and R.D. Singh. 2006. Status and Prospects of Integrated Pest Management Strategies in Selected Crops: Tea. In: Integrated Pest Management Principles and Application, Volume 2 - Application (Eds: Amerika Singh, O.P. Sharma and D.K. Garg). CBS Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India. pp 580-614.

RK Sud,