Dr. Amandeep Mittal, Fruit Molecular Geneticist, joined PAU on 11.03.2014. He completed his B.Sc. (Agriculture Honors) from PAU Ludhiana in 2003 and M.Sc. (Plant Breeding) from PAU Ludhiana in 2005. He did his PhD (Biology) from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas-USA in 2012. He was involved in developing less stressed cotton overexpressing Arabidopsis transcription factors – B3 domain Related to ABI3/VP1 (RAV) and bZIP domain ABA insensitive 5 (ABI5) that has increased root mass under drought conditions, double digit increase in fiber length percentage, finer and firmer fiber that spins into better yarn at Texas Tech. He has cloned a pleotropic effect gene HARLEQUIN from Arabidopsis: encoding topoisomerase 6B subunit. hlq mutants are seedling lethal and are deranged in cell wall biosynthesis, starch accumulation, callose deposition and might have strong impacts in crop revolution if utilized for metabolite engineering. At PAU, he is involved in development of the first de novo reference transcriptome, draft genome, and a chromosomal scale genome assembly in prominent Indian guava cv. Allahabad Safeda. His efforts have decoded innumerous functional molecular markers that are being used in biparental and genome wide association mapping of production and quality traits in guava. He has developed a PCR based diagnostic molecular marker for pink pulp colour trait that can reveal just at seedling stage that the plant is going to bear pink fruit or not after coming in bearing stage.  He is trying to understand molecular mechanisms of lycopene accumulation, anthocyanin accumulation, seed characters, shelf life and others that could help improving the acceptability of guava over larger acreage and increasing its export potential. He is involved in teaching 9 different undergraduate courses, 2 M.Sc. courses and 3 PhD courses at SAB, regularly with average number of 3 courses every semester besides guiding his major advisees. He has produced 1 Ph.D. and 8 M.Sc. students by 2024. He has served as PI on a DBT funded project “Whole genome and transcriptome sequence based SSR and SNP markers development in guava (Psidium guajava L.) for linkage mapping and trait association” from 2018-2022. He has also served as Co-PI on 2 other successfully completed projects and has an on-going project “RNA interference technology for insect resistance and genomics assisted improvement of shelf life in guava” as PI-II. He has >25 publications in national and international journals.

Professional Accomplishments

Education: B.Sc., PAU, Ludhiana (2003); M.Sc. (Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology), PAU, Ludhiana (2005); Ph.D., Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA (2012)

Positions held: Fruit Molecular Geneticist, PAU Ludhiana (11.03.2014)

Research Interests: 

1. Molecular breeding and Functional Genomics

Research Projects (Ongoing):

• RNA interference technology for insect resistance and genomics assisted improvement of shelf life in guava – PI-II, DBT, GOI (2022-2027)

Research Projects completed

1. Whole genome and transcriptome sequence based SSR and SNP markers development in guava (Psidium guajava L.) for linkage mapping and trait association (as PI), DBT (GOI) 2018-2022

1. High resolution mapping and development of root-knot nematode resistant rootstocks in peach (as Co-PI), SERB, 2020-2023
2. Genetic improvement of Kinnow mandarin for fruit quality, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance (as Co-PI), ICAR, (2015-2020)

Patent granted: 

1. US Patent number: 10378022, Transcription factors and method for increased fiber length of cotton. 

Filed: December 9, 2015 

Date of Patent: August 13, 2019 

Inventors: Christopher Dale Rock, Amandeep Mittal

Research Publications:

1. Shukla HV, Kumar A, Mann S S, Thakur S, Arora NK, Kaur G, Solanki SPS, Boora RS, Singh D, Brar JS, Kang KK, Chhuneja P, Gill MIS, Bains NS, Mittal A* (2025) Positional mapping – constitutive purple trait locus (pl) in guava (Psidium guajava L.) in F2 and BC1F1 populations of Purple Local × Allahabad Safeda. Physiologia Plantarum DOI: 10.1111/ppl.70212 (Impact factor: 5.4; NAAS rating: 11.4)
2. Singh H, Kumar K*, Mittal A*, Archana Kumari, Kaur R, Arora A, Kaur H (2024) Gene expression and metabolite analysis reveal importance of faster pathogen recognition and reduced pattern triggered immunity-based cell death responses for Phytophthora nicotianae tolerance in citrus. Scientia Horticulturae 338:113789 Impact factor: 4.21; NAAS rating: 10.21
3. Mittal A*, Thakur S, Sharma A, Boora R S, Arora N K, Singh D, Gill M I S, Dhillon G S, Chhuneja P, Yadav I S, Jindal M, Mathew O K, Lachagari V B R, Paterson A H (2024) Guava cv. Allahabad Safeda Chromosome scale assembly and comparative genomics decodes breeders’ choice marker trait association for pink pulp colour BioRxiv doi: 10.1101/2024.03.29.587319 (Pre-print, Non-NAAS rated)
4. Gupta H, Goyal M, Kapoor R, Mittal A (2024) Role of lignin metabolism and associated metabolites for lodging resistance in oat (Avena sativa L.). Cereal Research Communications. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-024-00537-z Impact factor: 1.9; NAAS rating: 7.9
5. Bishnoi R, Solanki R, Singla D, Mittal A, Chhuneja P, Meena O P, Dhatt A S (2024) Comparative mitochondrial genome analysis reveals a candidate ORF for cytoplasmic male sterility in tropical onion. 3 Biotech 14 (1), 6. Impact factor: 2.9; NAAS rating: 8.9

Awards/Honours/Distinctions:

1. Nominated for Lal Bahadur Shastri Outstanding Young Scientist Award by PAU for 3 consecutive years – 2019,2020, 2021
2. Nominated for Darshan Singh Brar Young Scientist Award by PAU-2022
3. Recipient of GEEP (Graduate Enrollment Enhancement Program) funds from graduate school at Texas Tech to enhance the graduate student enrollment at Texas Tech University (2013).
4. Summer Dissertation Award from graduate school at Texas Tech (2012)
5. Mini-grant recipient: Fall 2009, Texas Tech Association of Biologists.
6. University merit certificate in M.Sc. Plant Breeding. 
7. Awarded JRF for pursuing M.Sc. (Seed Technology) at TNAU for securing 49th Rank in ICAR-JRF exam for Plant Sciences discipline in 2003