Patna: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has awarded a research grant of Rs 70 lakh to Pranav Tripathi, a faculty in the agriculture department at the Central University of South Bihar (CUSB), for a study on the detection and mitigation of diseases in millets.Tripathi’s proposal aims to develop a rapid and reliable diagnostic assay for early detection of Fusarium graminearum, a major fungal pathogen responsible for serious crop diseases. The research is expected to aid timely identification and control of millet diseases, thereby supporting crop health, productivity and food security.CUSB public relations officer Md Mudasir Alam said the grant recognises the investigator’s research potential and reflects the ANRF’s focus on promoting high-impact, application-oriented scientific work. The project is also expected to strengthen advanced research in plant pathology and molecular diagnostics, with direct relevance to agriculture and farmers’ welfare, he said.