Dr Mamta Pathak joined Punjab Agricultural University as Assistant Professor in January 2003.  Presently she is working as Principal Olericulturist in the Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry. Her main area of research is development of improved cultivars of okra and bittergourd for commercial cultivation. Dr Pathak developed and released two cultivars of bottlegourd (Punjab Barkat and Punjab Bahar), three of bittergourd (Punjab Kareli-1, Punjab Jhaar Karela-1 and Punjab-15) and two of okra (Punjab Suhawani and Punjab Lalima). She substantially contributed in the collection, procurement, maintenance and characterization of germplasm of okra, bittergourd and bottlegourd. She initiated interspecific hybridization programme for disease resistance in okra and bittergourd. She has guided ten M.Sc., two Ph.D. students. She has completed three competitive research grants as Principal Investigator and two as CCPI and published four book chapters, 55 research papers in journals of national and international repute. Besides this she is acting as resource person in various teaching and extension activities being conducted by the University and member of various scientific societies. 

Research Interest:

1. Development of high yielding cultivars of okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] and bittergourd (Momordica charantia L. and M. balsamina) with tolerance to different biotic stresses.
2. Germplasm enhancement, characterization and gene mapping 
3. Resistance breeding work in okra and bittergourd

Project Accomplished

• A better bittergourd: Exploiting bittergourd (Momordica charantia L.) to increase incomes, manage type 2 diabetes, and promote health in developing countries” funded by AVRDC, Taiwan, Tainan as CCPI and completed in 2014.
• Development of interspecific hybrids between Momordica charantia x M. balsamina: source of root knot nematode resistance in bittergourd funded by UGC as PI and completed in 2016. 

• Collaborative Research project on Agrobiodiversity in okra- Component-II Phase-II funded by NBPGR, New Delhi as CCPI and completed in 2020.

• Genome Sequence Based SSR Markers Development and their Utilization in Mapping of Bittergourd Yellow Mosaic Virus Resistance in Bittergorud (Momordica charantia L.) funded by DBT, Govt. of India as PI and completed in 2021.

• Molecular Mapping and Transfer of Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus Resistance in Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] funded by DBT, Govt. of India as PI and completed in 2021.

On Going Projects:

1. 1. Molecular Mapping and Transfer of Jassid Resistance in Okra Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] funded by DBT, Govt. of India as PI.

• Collaborative Research Project on Agro-biodiversity- (Okra Component III) funded by NBPGR, New Delhi as CCPI.

Selected Research Publication

1. Thakur Yukta, Pathak Mamta, Kaur Sukhjeet, Pathak Dharminder and Chawla Neena (2025) Evaluation of root knot nematode resistance in wild okra species (Abelmoschusmoschatus) and their antioxidative profile analysis. Phytoparasitica https:doi.org/10.1007/s12600-024-01236-5 (7.5)
2. Kamboj Ankita, Sangha Manjeet Kaur, Devi Veena, Kumar Parminder, Pathak Mamta and Singla Diksha (2024) Enhancing germination and growth in wild okra genotypes through gibberellic acid primimg. Scientia Horticulturae 334:113332. (10.30)
3. Singh Gagandeep, Pathak Mamta and Sharma Abhishek (2023) Identification of noval sources of yellow vein mosaic disease resistance in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). Euphytica https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-023-03242-w

(7.90)

1. Kaur G, Pathak M, Singla D, Chhabra G, Chhuneja P and Kaur N (2022) Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping for Earliness, Fruit, and Seed Related Traits Using High Density  Genotyping-by-Sequencing-Based Genetic Map in Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.). Frontiers in Plant Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.799932.

(11.75)

1. Kaur G, Pathak M, Singla D, Sharma A, Chhuneja P and Kaur N (2021) High –density GBS-based genetic linkage map construction and QTL identification associated with yellow mosaic disease resistance in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.). Frontiers in Plant Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.671620. (10.40)

Awards and honors

1. Best Poster presentation award for “Biochemical composition of mucilage extracted from okra genotypes in Food and nutritional security conclave (FNSC- 19-ISAB) and XIV Convention of ISAB held at MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra from Feb. 25-27, 2019.

1. Best oral presentation award for “Development and release of first commercial variety of Momordica balsamina: An asset for root knot nematode sick soils” in Conference on Phytopathology focused on achieving UN sustainable development goals” at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi held from January 16-20, 2020.