Dr. Mathimaran Natarajan
About
Research Area
Dr. Mathimaran Natarajan, Ph.D. (ETH Zurich, Switzerland), is a sustainability and climate science faculty at Pondicherry University, serving as Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Centre for Sustainability and Climate Studies, and as Special Officer – Green Campus. His expertise includes agroecology, soil microbiomes, and climate-resilient agriculture, with a focus on nature-based solutions for dryland systems.
He spent nearly 18 years in Switzerland, where he earned his doctorate from ETH Zurich and held research positions at the University of Basel and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL). During this period, he played a key role in Indo-Swiss research collaborations and developed strong international academic networks.
At Pondicherry University, Dr. Mathimaran teaches postgraduate courses on sustainable development, climate change, and microbial ecology, while contributing to NEP-aligned curriculum reforms. He leads an Indo-Swiss Joint Research Project funded by India’s Department of Biotechnology, focused on mycorrhiza-facilitated bioirrigation.
In his role as Special Officer – Green Campus, he guides biodiversity restoration, waste audits, and SDG-linked initiatives. Formerly Deputy Dean – International Relations, he has facilitated several national and international MoUs. He continues to integrate science, education, and institutional sustainability in both academic and policy spaces.
Notable & Recent Publications
Willcox, B.K., Garratt, M.P.D., Breeze, T.D., Mathimaran, N., Potts, S.G., Prasad, G., Rengalakshmi, R., Senapathi, R. The benefits of floral border crops in smallholder rice production depends on agronomic inputs and landscape context. Agricultural and Forest Entomology; 1–12 (2024). IF: 2.1
Schutz, L., K. Saharan, P. Mader, T. Boller and N. Mathimaran. Rate of hyphal spread of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from pigeon pea to finger millet and their contribution to plant growth and nutrient uptake in experimental microcosms. Applied Soil Ecology 169 (2022). IF: 4.8
Singh D, Mathimaran N, Sekar J, Prabavathy VR, Perisamy P, Raju K, Rengalakshmi R, King IO, Thimmegowda MN, Manjunatha BN, Bhavitha NC, Savitha MS, Bagyaraj DJ, Maeder P, Boller T, Kahmen A. Spatial arrangement and biofertilizers enhance the performance of legume – millet intercropping system in rainfed areas of southern India. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.711284 (2021). IF:3.7
Sharma MP, Grover M, Chourasiya D, Bharti A, Agnihotri R, Maheshwari HS, Pareek A, Buyer JS, Sharma SK, Schütz L, Mathimaran N, Singla-Pareek SL, Grossman JM and Bagyaraj DJ. Deciphering the Role of Trehalose in Tripartite Symbiosis Among Rhizobia, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, and Legumes for Enhancing Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crop Plants. Frontiers in Microbiology. 11:509919. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.509919. (2020). IF: 4.0
Mathimaran N, Jegan S, Thimmegowda MN, Prabavathy VR, Yuvaraj P, Kathiravan R, Sivakumar MN, Manjunatha BN, Bhavitha NC, Sathish A, Shashidhar GC, Bagyaraj DJ, Ashok EG, Singh D, Kahmen A, Boller T and Mäder P. Intercropping Transplanted Pigeon Pea With Finger Millet: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria Boost Yield While Reducing Fertilizer Input. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 4:88. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.00088. (2020). IF: 3.7
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