MrRakesh Rayapureddi

My research interests lie at the intersection of engineering, biological sciences, sustainable agriculture and technology commercialisation, with a particular focus on developing practical technologies for more resilient and resource-efficient agri-food systems.

A major area of my current research is environmental DNA (eDNA) and molecular diagnostics for precision crop protection. I am interested in novel approaches for capturing and detecting biological traces of agricultural pests from complex production environments, integrating bioaerosol and surface sampling, molecular detection, sensing, automation and data analytics to enable earlier and more scalable pest surveillance. This includes the development of field-deployable technologies for protected horticulture, integrated pest management and decision-support systems.

My broader research interests include precision agriculture, agricultural robotics and automation, sensing and intelligent machinery, sustainable product development, and the engineering of technologies for real-world farm environments. I am particularly interested in translating scientific principles into robust systems that can progress from laboratory validation through prototyping and field testing to commercial deployment.

I also work on sustainable agri-food systems, alternative protein and feed systems, circular bioeconomy and technology adoption. My research in this area examines how technical performance interacts with economic viability, regulation, environmental sustainability, stakeholder readiness and market adoption, including the use of systems-thinking and multi-criteria decision-support approaches.

My wider engineering interests include biomimetic and bio-inspired systems, computational fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, urban microclimate, fluid–structure interaction and mechanical product design.

Across these areas, I am particularly interested in interdisciplinary research that connects engineering, molecular and environmental science, data-driven decision making and entrepreneurship to create technologies with measurable scientific, environmental and commercial impact.