Education: B.Sc. Agriculture (Hons), PAU, Ludhiana (1998); M.Sc. Plant Pathology , PAU, Ludhiana (2000); Ph.D. Plant Pathology, PAU, Ludhiana (2004) 

Positions held: Assistant Professor at KVK Ferozepur (2005-2006), KVK Samrala (2006-2008); Assistant Plant Pathologist (2008-2017), PAU Ludhiana; Senior Plant Pathologist (Fruits), PAU Ludhiana (2017 to 2020); Principal Plant Pathologist (Fruits), PAU, Ludhiana (2020 onwards) 

Personal information: 

Dr Anita Arora is currently serving as Principal Plant Pathologist (Fruits) in the ICAR-AICRP on Fruits in Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. She has made significant contributions to the PAU Package of Practices for fruit crops, with 43 recommendations that include 5 disease management technologies; testing of 26 fruit varieties, 2 rootstocks and 10 fruit production technologies. She has 15 national recommendations under ICAR-AICRP on Fruits. She has published 64 research papers of national and international repute, 3 book chapters, 11 extension bulletins and 93 extension articles. In academics, she has guided 6 M.Sc. and 2 Ph.D. students as a major advisor in the discipline of Plant Pathology. She has also served on the advisory committees of 31 postgraduate students and mentored 28 undergraduate students. She has taught courses for about 103 credit hours to undergraduate and postgraduate students and authored four practical manuals for UG classes. She has delivered various expert lectures in training courses/field days/workshop/seminars organized by PAU, Ludhiana and State department of Horticulture, Punjab. She has been recognized with 3 awards for best paper presentations during different national and international conferences. She was Joint Treasurer of the Indian Society of Plant Pathologists, PAU, Ludhiana from 2016-2022 and currently Associate Editor since 10th February, 2023.

Research Interests: 

1. Emerging diseases of fruit crops
2. Integrated management of diseases of fruit crops

Projects accomplished: 

1. Mapping of Phytophthora resistance in intergeneric rootstock population and development of improved rootstocks in citrus (Co-PI) funded by DBT, New Delhi.
2. Bio-efficacy evaluation of fungicide “UPF 1317” against powdery mildew and anthracnose of grapes (PI) funded by UPL Ltd., Mumbai.
3. Bio-efficacy evaluation of fungicide “UPF 116” against downy mildew, powdery mildew and anthracnose of grapes (Co-PI) funded by UPL Ltd., Mumbai. 
4. Evaluation of the Bio-efficacy and phytotoxicity of fungicide “UPF 108” against downy mildew and anthracnose in grapes (PI) funded by UPL Ltd., Mumbai. 
5. Evaluation of the Bio-efficacy and phytotoxicity of fungicide “GPF 1617” against downy mildew and anthracnose in grapes (PI) funded by UPL Ltd., Mumbai. 
6.             6.    Evaluation of the Bio-efficacy and phytotoxicity of fungicide “GPF 1819” against downy mildew in grapes    (PI) funded by UPL Ltd., Mumbai.
7.             7.    Evaluation of bio-efficacy of Milastin K (Bacillus subtilis KTSB 1015) against downy and powdery mildew in grapes (Co-PI) funded by Kan Biosys Pvt. Ltd., Pune.
8.             8.   Evaluation of bio-efficacy of Milastin K (Bacillus subtilis KTSB 1015) against bacterial blight in pomegranate (Co-PI) funded by Kan Biosys Pvt. Ltd., Pune.
9.  

Ongoing Projects: 

1. Centre of Excellence Project entitled “Development and Integration of Advanced Genomic Technologies for Targeted Breeding” Sub Project 8: Identification of genes/QTLs for resistance to citrus greening and Xcc-mediated agroinfilteration for juvenility reduction in citrus funded by DBT, New Delhi.

Selected Research Publications (maximum up to 5):

• Singh Sidakmeet, Gupta Monika, Rattanpal H.S., Arora Anita, Kaur Nirmaljit, Kaur Komalpreet and Singh Gurteg (2025) Management of pre-harvest fruit drop and ultrastructural studies of Kinnow mandarin under subtropical conditions. Applied Fruit Science. 67:63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10341-025-01286-x. (NAAS Rating: 7.20)

• Kaur Amrinder, Kaur Damanpreet, Arora Anita and Singh Harpreet (2025) Morpho-pathological variation among Colletotrichum isolates associated with fruit drop in Kinnow mandarin (Citrus nobilis X Citrus deliciosa) in Punjab. Indian Phytopathology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42360-025-00865-y. (NAAS Rating: 5.97)

1. 1. Singh Harsimran, Kumar Krishan, Mittal Amandeep, Kumari Archana, Kaur Rimaljeet, Arora Anita and Kaur Harleen (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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2024.113789. (NAAS Rating: 10.30)

• Singh Harsimran, Kumar Krishan, Kumar Neeraj, Kaur Rimaljeet, Arora Anita, Kaur Nirmaljit, Brar Jaswinder and Kaur Harleen (2024) Identification of Phytophthora nicotianae tolerant citrus hybrids using subordinate function analysis of disease and morpho-physio-biochemical responses. Rhizosphere. 32:101000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2024.101000.  (NAAS Rating: 9.70)

1.    Kumar Neeraj, Singh Harsimran, Kumar Krishan, Kaur Rimaljeet, Arora Anita and Kaur Nirmaljit (2024)   Oxidative stress     

   dynamics revealed the role of H2O2 in citrus rootstocks sensitivity to Phytophthora nicotianae. Physiological and   

   Molecular Plant Pathology. 133:102348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2024.102348. (NAAS Rating: 8.70)

Awards/Homours/Distinction:

• Awarded with merit certificate and research fellowship in M.Sc. (Plant Pathology).
• Awarded with merit fellowship in Ph.D. (Plant Pathology).
• Received “Award of Honour for management of citrus gummosis” by Baag Parivar, Kotkapura (June 21, 2018).
•   Received a team award “Award of Excellence: Linking Technology Development and Transfer” under ICAR-AICRP on Fruits during VII Group Discussion of ICAR-AICRP on Fruits held at PAU, Ludhiana from January 16-19, 2020 (On January 18, 2020).
• Received a team award “Certificate of Appreciation” from DDG Horticulture for organizing VII Group Discussion of ICAR-AICRP on Fruits at PAU, Ludhiana from January 16-19, 2020.
• Received “Best oral presentation award” for the paper entitled “Molecular detection and identification of  Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus associated with citrus huanglongbing disease” during National Seminar on “Fruit Production in Eastern Tropical Region of India” held through virtual mode from March 24-26, 2022.
•       Received “Platinum Achievers Award-2022” for contribution to Fruit Pathology by Council for Academic Performance & Appraisal (Regd.), Delhi during CAPA-Annual Award Ceremony-2022 held at New Delhi on September 11, 2022.
• Received a team award “Second prize for Best oral presentation” for the paper entitled “First report of Colletotrichum siamense causing fruit drop in Kinnow mandarin (Citrus nobilis x Citrus deliciosa)” in Punjab,India during Asian Citrus Congress-2023 on “Advancing Citriculture for Agro-economic Prosperity” organized by Indian Society of Citriculture, Nagpur in association with ICAR-CCRI Nagpur, APAARI,Bangkok, Thailand and KSCSCF, Jeju City, Republic of Korea held in Nagpur from October 28-30, 2023.
•       Received Best Centre Award for SCSP Component during XII Group Discussion of Scientists of AICRP on  Fruits, held at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bihar from February 11-14, 2025.2

Received Award of Honour from Dr SS Gosal, Vice Chancellor, PAU, Ludhiana for the Best Centre Award for SCSP Component of ICAR-AICRP on Fruits during 2nd Alumni Meet of College of Horticulture and Forestry, PAU, Ludhiana (February 27, 2025).