Dr Pushp Sharma, Principal Physiologist (Oilseeds) joined as Head, Department of Botany on December 23, 2022. Dr Sharma did her B.Sc. from Punjabi University, Patiala in 1986, M.Sc. and Ph.D. (Botany) from PAU in 1989 and 1992, qualified ICAR-NET in 1996. Joined University as Assistant Plant Physiologist in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics (PB&G) in 1999. Research focus is on physiology of field crops and for the last nineteen years working on oilseeds (mustard, sesame, sunflower & groundnut) mainly screening and identifying elite germplam for abiotic stresses (low light, heat, drought and salinity), underlying the physio-biochemical basis for stress management, enhanced NUE efficiency, root architecture, PGRs and microbes in relieving heat and drought  stress in mustard and groundnut. Dr Sharma is teaching courses of Botany and PB&G for the last eleven years. She has guided 12 M.Sc. and 6 Ph.D. student as major advisor. Delivered lectures in training programmes, paper setter for various courses, entrance and selection exams, external examiner and expert member for selections outside the university. Member of monitoring team AICRP-RM since 2016, participated in various extension activities and published 61 extension articles

Professional accomplishments

Projects accomplished

• Integrated Pest Management for popularization of chickpea in rice-wheat cropping system funded by DST
• Improving income and nutrition by incorporating Mungbean in Cereal Fallows in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia. Funded by AVRDC-DFID
• Popularization of extra-short duration mungbean cultivars for poverty alleviation and improved nutrition of Bihar and Rajasthan, India based on Punjab Model (Funded by AVRDC-DFID
• Two Projects in Centre of Excellence in Brassicas “Germplasm enhancement for crop architecture and defensive traits in Brassica juncea L. CZERN AND COSS” awarded by Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi.

• Marker-assisted modification of plant architecture (determinacy/dwarf/stature) for producing determinate/ semi determinate and dwarf/semi dwarf Brassica juncea hybrids/varieties.(Co-PI)

• Association mapping for traits associated with nitrogen use efficiency using a structured diversity (Diversity Fixed Foundation Sets for Brassica juncea–Bj-DFFS) (Co-PI)
• Presently working as Principal Investigator (PI) plant physiology  in All India Co-ordinated Research Projects on Rapeseed Mustard (ICAR-5) since 2013

Varieties/Technologies/Recommendations:

• Package Technologies for Cultivation of SML668 (both in summer and Kharif seasons and successful cultivation of Gram in Punjab
• Associated with the release of 8 varieties one each of mungbean (PAU911), urdbean (Mash114),sesame (PunjabTilNo.2) and 3 of mustard (PBR378, PC6 and Giriraj) , 6 hybrids (3 of mustard PHR126, RCH1 & PHR127) 3of Gobhi sarson (PGSH1707, PGSH1699 & PGSH2155)
• Optimum row spacing of canola gobhi sarson for enhanced productivity under delayed sowing   for sowing of canola gobhi sarson variety GSC 6 and hybrid Hyola PAC 401 during November, reduce row to row spacing from 45 cm to 30 cm. Included in Package of Practices for rabi crops in 239th REC meeting held on 07.10.2014
• Foliar application of Brassinolide@20ppm and Salicylic acid @200ppm at initiation and 50% flowering was effective in enhancing yield under rainfed condition. Recommended in the27th Annual Group Meeting of AICRP Rapeseed-Mustard August 3-4, 2020  
• Foliar spray of potassium nitrate @2% at initiation and 50% flowering led to  maximum seed yield and biological yield with higher B:C ratio. The PGRs were effective in enhancing RWC, LWR, CSI, photosynthetic pigments, SMS, total siliquae per plant, seeds/siliquae and 1000 seed weight. Recommended in the 31st Annual Group Meeting of AICRP Rapeseed-Mustard August 20-22, 2024 Khanapura Campus, AAU , Guwahati, Assam     
• Microbial formulation (MFs) lead to improved seed yield and biological yield under normal and late sown conditions. Microbial formulation also positively influenced MS, CT and 1000 seed weight. Recommended in the 31st Annual Group Meeting of AICRP Rapeseed-Mustard August 20-22, 2024, Khanapura Campus, AAU , Guwahati, Assam    

Publications: Published 105 research papers, participated in 81 conferences (9 International), 2 international workshops, published 24 book chapters, 3 bulletins, 1 manual and edited 2 books.

Research Papers

1. 1. Chugh P and Sharma P(2022) Terminal heat stress in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.): Variation in dry matter accumulation, stem reserve mobilization ,carbohydrate translocation and their correlation with seed yield .Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 60: 423-31.(NAAS Rating 6.82)
   2. Rhythm, Sharma P and Sardana,V (2022) Physiological and biochemical traits of drought tolerance in Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss South African Journal of Botany 146: 509–520 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2021.11.019 (NAAS Rating 8.32)
   3. Chugh P, Sharma P, Rajni Sharma and Manpreet Singh (2022) Study on heat stress indices and their correlation with yield in Indian mustard genotype under diverse conditions . Indian Journal of Genetics of Plant Breeding: 186-92 doi: 10.31742/IJGPB 82.2.7 (NAAS  Rating 6.51)
   4. Brar K L, Sharma, P, Chugh P, Sharma R,Kaur P and Banga SS (2022) Effect of elevated temperature on phenology, growth, yield components and seed yield of Brassica juncea grown in temperature gradient tunnels (TGT) .Journal of Agrometerology. 24(4)359-66 (NAAS  Rating6.56)
   5. Chhabra R, Sharma R, Hunjan MS and Sharma P (2023) Foliar spray of botanical extracts influences biochemical processes and plant defense enzymes to ameliorate brown spot induced yield loss in rice. European Journal of Plant Pathology https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-023-02776-y. (NAAS Rating:8.22)
   6. Bajya M and Sharma P (2024) An analysis of the effects of phosphorus solublizing bacteria (PSB) on Phosphorus Intake to increase groundnut productivity. Legume Research-An International Journal vol.7 issue10: 1776-1781(NAAS  Rating 6.8 )

Awards /medals /Distinctions in research

• Certificate of Appreciation: Awarded by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for work on carbon assimilation in Groundnut during PhD (1994)
• Qualified National Eligibility Test conducted by Indian Council of Agriculture Research, New Delhi in Plant Physiology (1996)

• Best Research Paper: Partitioning of 14C-photoassimilates between sources and sinks in developing groundnut seeds as influenced by aliphatic alcohols”. Awarded at National Symposium on “Progress in Hormonal Research Plants and Animals” held at Indore, June 1994
• Team Award by ICAR-IIPR Kanpur (2007) for significant contribution in developing short duration varieties of mungbean and their popularization for summer cultivation.
• Team Award by ICAR-DRMR, Bharatpur (2010-11) Team member of All India Coordinated Research Project on Rapeseed-Mustard Best Centre.
• Best Oral Presentation: “Physiological basis of heat tolerance in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss)” Awarded in the 3rd National Brassica Conference (NBC2017)“Enhancing Oilseed Brassica Production through climate smart technologies” February 16-18, 2017, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, India
• Certificate of Appreciation: Awarded lead speaker on Climate change mitigation strategies for abiotic stress management in the 4th National Brassica Conference for “Innovative Approaches in Oilseed Brassica towards self-sufficiency” February 1-3,2019 held at CSAUA&T, Kanpur
• Best Oral Presentation: “Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under abiotic stresses” awarded in the 4th National Brassica Conference for “Innovative Approaches in Oilseed Brassica towards self-sufficiency” February 1-3,2019 held at CSAUA&T ,Kanpur
• Best Oral Presentation: “Genetic variations for drought tolerance in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea Crenz &Coss)”at the National Conference on Plant and Microbial Research: Present Scenario held at Punjabi University Patiala, February 18-19, 2019
• Best Poster Awards: 7 in the national conferences/symposia
• Lead author in the International oral presentations held at New Delhi (IFLRCIV 2005), Prague, Czech Republic (2011), Saskatoon, Canada (2015), Berlin, Germany (2019) and Sydeny, Australia (2023S). 
• Fellow, Society for Rapeseed-mustard Research (SRMR) Bharatpur 2019
• Fellow of Indian Society of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad,2020
• Associate Editor , Journal of Plant Science and Research (2008 to 2012)
• Editor, Journal of Plant Science Research, Jaipur (2012 to 2016)
• Vice President, Society for the Promotion of Plant Science Research, Jaipur 2017-18
• Editor Journal of oilseed Brassica ,Society for Rapeseed –Mustard Research, Bharatpur 2022
• Joint Secretary, Society of Rapeseed Mustard Research (SRMR)-2024
• Awarded Gold medal for her outstanding contributions in rapeseed mustard plant physiology research by Indian Society for Rapeseed- Mustard Research in 2024