Dr. Navraj Kaur Sarao joined PAU as Assistant Professor on 8.6.2004. She did her B.Sc. in Agriculture from PAU in 1995. She completed her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Plant Breeding from PAU. She is working on Genomics assisted breeding in vegetable crops. She is working on three research projects and completed four projects funded by DBT government of India. Under these projects she mapped and identified gene(s) for various traits viz. male sterility, monoecism, gynoecism, virus, nematode, fusarium wilt etc. along with whole genome sequencing of Jhaar Karela and Snapmelon. She also did the introgression of these traits through marker assisted selection in elite varieties of muskmelon, brinjal, sponge gourd, okra and bittergourd. She also completed one project on development of coloured cotton through genetic transformation in collaboration with Nippon steel and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Japan. She was the chairperson of Teaching Committee and presently she is the chairperson of Research Committee of School of Agricultural Biotechnology. She guided 15 M.Sc. students and 5 Ph.D. students as major advisor; published 89 research articles in various national and international journals, 5 book chapters and 6 teaching manuals.  

Professional Accomplishments

Education: B.Sc., PAU, Ludhiana (Agriculture); M.Sc., PAU, Ludhiana (Plant Breeding); Ph.D., PAU, Ludhiana (Plant Breeding)

Positions held: Assistant Professor (Seed Technology), Assistant Professor, Assoicate Professor, Professor

Research Interests:

1. Molecular breeding in Okra, Bittergourd and Muskmelon 
2. Gene cloning and Genetic Transformation 
3. Haploid production in rice, Tomato and Muskmelon 

Research Projects:

1. DBT Funded Project Genome sequence based SSR markers development and their utilization in mapping of bittergourd yellow mosaic virus resistance in bittergourd (Momordica charantia) (PI)
2. DBT Funded Project Marker Assisted Introgression of Genetic Male Sterility ms-1 gene in Elite Muskmelon Genotype (PI)
3. DBT Funded Project Molecular mapping and transfer of jassid resistance in okra [Abelmoschus esculentus(L.) MOENCH]. (PI)
4. DBT Funded Project Phenotyping and molecular characterization of snapmelon germplasm against fusarium wilt disease for development of mapping population in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) (PI)
5. Molecular mapping of root knot nematode resistance gene(s) introgressed from S. torvum in brinjal (S. melongena) (PI)

Important Achievements

1. Development of male sterile and  monoecious lines in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) through marker assisted selection 
2. Molecular mapping of jassid resistance gene(s) in okra
3. Molecular mapping and introgression of snapmelon derived fusarium wilt resistance, virus resistance and nematode resistance gene(s) in muskmelon
4. Whole genome sequence analysis of Jhaar karela and Snapmelon
5. Molecular mapping of root knot nematode resistance gene(s) introgressed from S. torvum in brinjal (S. melongena) 
6. Molecular mapping of gynoecious gene in sponge gourd
7. Molecular mapping of genes for cluster bearing in brinjal

Selected Research Publications :

• Kaur A, Sharma M, Bhatia SK, Sharma SP, Gill R, Kaur G, Sarao NK (2025) Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping for Fusarium Wilt Using Genotyping by Sequencing Based Genetic Map in Melon (Cucumis melo L.). Scientia Horticulturae 343(2): 114050. DOI 10.1016/j. scienta.2025.114050

• Sharma N, Deol J K, Kaur G,  Kaur A, Sharma S P, Sarao N K (2025) Exploring the Role of Advanced Genomics in Melon Breeding: A Review Plant Molecular Biology Reporter https://doi.org/10.1007/s11105-025-01552-y

• Kaur J, Sidhu MK, Sarao NK and Dhatt A S (2023) Development of partially-fertile cross between Solanum melongena and Solanum sisymbriifolium through embryo rescue technique. Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding 83(3) DOI: 10.31742/ISGPB. 83.3.14
• Singh G, Pathak M, Pathak D and Sarao NK (2023) Identification of SSR markers through bulk segregant analysis and inheritance of resistance to yellow vein mosaic disease in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). Virus Disease 34(2) DOI: 10.1007/s13337-023-0084 4-9
• Sharma N, Sarao N K, Mohanpuria P, Sharma A (2023) Effective Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) and Generation of RNAi Plants Resistant to Begomovirus infecting okra. The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 99(2):1-1410.1080/14620316.2023.2251978  

Awards/Honours/Distinctions: Nil