5.Ongoing projects (List):

1) Basic and strategic research on seed quality improvement.

Objective: Enhancement of seed retention at maturity through identification of genomic regions controlling seed shattering in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

2) Improving seed health and storage system

Objective: Establishing marker trait association for resistance to aflatoxin accumulation in maize against seed storage fungus, Aspergillus sp.

Research Accomplishments (5 best):

1. Assisted in development and release of bread wheat varieties HD3043 (Pusa Chaitanya), HD3059 (Pusa Pachheti), HD3086 (Pusa Gautami), HD3090 (Pusa Amulya), HD3118 (Pusa Vatsala), HD 4728 (Pusa Malwi) and durum wheat varieties HI 1605 (Pusa Tejas) and HI 8759 (Pusa Ujala)
2. Assisted in development and release bottle gourd varieties Arka Nutan and Arka Shreyas as well as F1 hybrid Arka Ganga
3. Involved in the sequencing of genome and transcriptome of sesame variety “Swetha”. (The data is deposited in NCBI with accession number GCA00975565.1 under the assembly name ASM97556v1.)
4. Development of functional markers for seed shattering in sesame and seed longevity in soyabean
5. Genome wide identification, development of protein models and functional delineation of HSF genes, AP2-ERF and WRKY transcription factors and lipid-droplet (LD) associated proteins including lipoxygenases, phospholipase-D, TAG lipase, oleosin, caleosin, steroleosin and seipins.