Dr. Jyoti Jain joined PAU as Assistant Plant Pathologist on 08.02.2010 after completing B.Sc. Agri (Hons.) in 2001, M.Sc (Plant Pathology) in 2004 and Ph.D (Plant Pathology) in 2007 from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Her field of specialization is fungal pathology with reference to diseases of rice and vegetable crops. She has completed one major research project funded by UGC, New Delhi as PI and one project funded by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai as Co-PI in 2018. She has also completed three international projects as Co-PI in collaboration with International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines.  Currently she is handling one project funded by NASF-ICAR and one project funded ICAR-CRRI as Co-PI. She has guided 3 M.Sc and 1 PhD students as major advisor. Currently she is guiding 2 M.Sc and 1 Ph.D student as major advisor. She has published 42 research research articles in national and international journals, 4 short communications, 4 extended summaries, 2 book chapters, 10 extension articles and two practical manuals. She has presented 26 papers in national and international conferences and bagged 4 best poster presentation and 3 best oral presentation awards. She has been associated with testing of 11 rice varieties; 8 basmati varieties and one sugarcane variety recommended for cultivation in Punjab state. 

Professional Accomplishments

Research Projects (Ongoing)

• ICAR-NASF funded project on “Identification and characterization of fungal effectors and host factors in rice- false smut pathosystem” as Co-PI  
• ICAR-CRRI funded project on “Molecular genetic analysis of resistance/tolerance to different stress in rice” as Co-PI 

Research Projects (Completed)

1. Major Research Project on “Elucidation of inter-relationship among organ specific infections in Pyricularia oryzae-rice pathosystem and exploration for neck blast resistance donors” funded by UGC, New Delhi as Co-PI.
2. Project on “Genetic enhancement of basmati rice genotypes for disease resistance and threshability through induced mutagenesis” funded by BRNS (Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences), Dept. of Atomic Energy, Mumbai as Co-PI.
3. Project on “Stress tolerant rice for Africa and South Asia (STRASA) Phase-II” funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as Co-PI. 
4. Project on “Identifying resistant rice germplasm to false smut using combined screening approaches and understanding the mechanism underlying rice resistance and variation in false smut” funded by IRRI, Manila, Philippines as Co-PI. as Co-PI
5. Project on “Biology, Epidemiology and Management of rice false smut caused by Ustilaginoidea virens (Cke.) Tak” funded by ICAR-IRRI as Co-PI

Research Publications:

• Thesiya M R, Lore J S, Bhatia D, Kumar S, Hunjan M S, Jain J and Kaur R (2025) QTL mapping and candidate gene identification for sheath blight resistance in rice (Oryza sativa) F3 progeniesusing QTL-seq analysis. Tropical Plant Pathology. Doi.10.1007/s40858-025-00739-8.
• Jain J, Vashisth T, Jain J and Lore J S (2024) Phenotypic evaluation and defense related biochemical activities in peduncles of basmati rice against neck blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. Agric Res J 61(6): 893-903. Doi. 10.5958/2395-146X.2024.00111.7.
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• Kaur B, Gill R S, Bhatia D, Jain J, Lore J S, Mittal A and Gowda Rakshith S R (2023) Genome-wide association studies and expression analysis of GA-related genes for exploring foot rot resistance in rice germplasm. Cereal Res Commun. Doi.org/10.1007/s42976-023-00458-3.
• Lore J S, Jain J, Kumar S, Kamboj I, Sidhu N, Khanna R, Kaur R and Mangat G S (2022). Identification of potential donors for false smut resistance in elite breeding lines of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under field conditions. Plant Genet Resour. 1-8. Doi.org/10.1017/S1479262122003041. 

• Jain J, Sohal M K, Lore J S, Jain S, Sidhu N and Upmanyu S (2021). Identification and quantification of slow blasting resistance in basmati/aromati rice germplasm against neck blast (Pyricularia oryzae Cavara). Indian J Genet. 81(4): 505-512. 

• Lore J S, Jain J, Hunjan M S, Kamboj I, Zaidi N W, Singh U S (2021). Efficiency of axenically grown Rhizoctonia solani inoculum types in evaluating sheath blight development on rice genotypes. J Phytopath. Doi. Org/10.1111/jph.13006.

• Lore J S, Jain J, Hunjan M S, Singh P, Kumar S, Zaidi N W, Singh U S (2021). Quantification of yield losses with relation to sheath blight development at different growth stages in mega rice varieties of South Asia. J Phytopath. Doi. Org/10.1111/jph.13005.

• Lore J S, Hunjan M S, Jain J, Kumar S, Singh P, Mangat G S, Zaidi N W and Singh U S (2021) Temporal and spatial progression of sheath blight in mega rice varieties of South Asia. Australasian Plant Pathology 50: 609-619.

Book Chapters:

• Jain S, Jain J and Singh J 2019. The Rhizosphere Microbiome: Microbial   Communities and Plant Health. In: Varma A, Tripathi S and Prasad R (eds.) Plant Microbiome Paradigm. Springer Nature Singapore. Pp: 175-189.
• Jain J, Rani R and Jain J (2021). Diseases of cucurbitaceous vegetables and their integrated management. In: Puri S, Singh R P and Saraf R K (eds.) Diseases of Economically Important Horticultural Crops. Daya Publishing House, Astral International Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi. Pp: 93-116.

Awards and Recognitions:

• Best Rice Pathology AICRP centre award by ICAR at 49th Annual Rice Group Meeting at DRR, Hyderabad from April 6-8, 2014. 

• Member of the team who was bestowed with “Golden Jubilee Best ACRIP Center Award” by ICAR during the 50th Annual Rice Research Group Meeting of AICRIP, held at Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad from April 11-15, 2015

• Awarded 1st prize for oral presentation on “Identification of slow blasting donors among basmati rice genotypes to neck blast, Pyricilaria oryzae Cavara” at National Conference on´Plant Health Management held from Nov. 3-6, 2020 by Navsari Agricultural University, Bharuch, Gujrat.

• Best Oral presentation award for presenting study on “Phenotypic evaluation and defense related biochemical activities in peduncles of basmati rice against neck blast fungus, Pyricularia oryzae” in 2nd International Conference on “Agritech Intelligence and Beyond- Cutting Edge Innovations in Agriculture and Allied Sciences” held on Oct 15-17,2024 at SKAUST, Srinagar.