Dr. Mandeep Singh Hunjan, is currently serving as Principal Plant Bacteriologist in the Department of Plant Pathology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, and brings over 21 years of research and academic service in the field of plant pathology, with specialized expertise in plant bacteriology, rice fungal diseases, and pathogen genomics. He obtained his B.Sc. Agriculture (Hons.) in 2001, M.Sc. in Plant Pathology in 2003, and Ph.D. in Plant Pathology in 2012, all from PAU. Dr. Hunjan’s research focuses on the epidemiology, characterization, and management of bacterial diseases such as bacterial blight and foot rot of rice, potato scab and brown rot, citrus canker and greening, bacterial blight of pomegranate, and bacterial stalk rot and leaf streak of maize. He also has substantial experience in rice fungal diseases, particularly sheath blight, brown spot, and bakanae disease, focusing on disease epidemiology, host-pathogen interactions, and integrated disease management. He has played a pivotal role in establishing the Molecular Plant Bacteriology Laboratory at PAU and has developed innovative molecular tools like Bio-PCR for rapid pathogen detection, non-culture-based molecular techniques for studying pesticide effects on soil microbes, and molecular markers for the identification of both pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms. Actively engaged in pest-free area maintenance for Punjab with respect to brown rot of potato, he has been involved in more than 30 sponsored and seven ad-hoc projects as PI/Co-PI under prestigious agencies like DBT, DST and ICAR. Dr. Hunjan has an extensive publication record, including high-impact research papers and has contributed significantly to advancing plant bacteriology, sustainable crop protection, and plant disease management.

Professional Accomplishments

Research Projects completed

• Mitigating the effect of climate change on crop productivity- PURSE project- Phase I- DST, New Delhi
• Development of integrated pest management strategy for minimizing pesticide load in field and vegetable crops-Sub Project II- Plant Diseases” in project entitled Addressing food security through nutritionally enriched improved cultivars and technologies under Swasth Bharat- DST, New Delhi
• Survey and surveillance for maintenance of pest free areas in the state of Punjab for brown rot and ring rot to facilitate export of potato from Punjab to EU- NHM, India
• Characterization, population dynamics and management of Rhizoctonia in different cropping systems. ICAR New Delhi

Research Projects in hand

• Identification and characterization of fungal effectors and host factors in rice- false smut pathosystem- NASF, New Delhi
• Tackling emerging diseases and insect pests problem in rice through innovative genomic approaches- DBT, New Delhi
• Futuristic Farming: Demonstrating cutting-edge agri. techniques for resource conservation, Punjab and Sind Bank

Research Publications:

[Only SCOPUS indexed]

1. Lore J S, Hunjan M, Bhatia D et al. (2025) Pathogen-Informed Strategies for Durable Resistance in Rice: Lessons from Bacterial Blight. Annual Review of Phytopathology. Vol. 63. (Accepted for publication)  [IF-9.1]
2. Thesiya MR, Lore J S, Bhatia D, Kumar S, Hunjan M S, Jain J, Kaur R. (2025). QTL mapping and candidate gene mining for sheath blight resistance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using QTLseqr approach. Tropical Plant Pathology. doi.org/10.1007/s40858-025-00739-8. [IF-1.5]
3. Singh H, Kaur H, Hunjan MS and Sharma S (2025) Unveiling toxigenic Fusarium species causing maize ear rot: insights into fumonisin production potential. Front. Plant Sci. 16:1516644. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1516644   [IF-4.10]
4. Singla, D., Kaushal, S., Hunjan, M.S., Kaur, V. and Kaur, Y. (2025), Preparation and characterization of Bael (Aegle marmelos) leaf essential oil nanoemulsion with enhanced antifungal activity against Drechslera oryzae. Chem. Biodiversity e202500192. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.202500192 [IF-2.3]
5. Heena, Kaushal, S., Hunjan, M.S., Kaur Y., Singh K, Goyal, B. and Kaur V (2025) Exploring the Antimycotic Potential of Dropped Citrus Fruit Extracts as a Biopesticide Against Phytopathogenic Fungi in Rice Accompanied by Molecular Docking Studies. Waste Biomass Valor (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-024-02865-x   [IF-2.60]
6. Heena, Kaushal, S., Hunjan, M.S., Kaur Y, Singh K. and Goyal B., (2024). Utilization of dropped Citrus reticulata Blanco fruit as a botanical fungicide to control foot rot disease in rice caused by Fusarium fujikuroi. Eur J Plant Pathol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-024-02859-4   [IF-1.80]
7. Katnoria, H., Kaushal, S., Hunjan, M. S., Kaur, V., Sharma, P., & Jangra, R. (2024). Chemical characterization and antifungal potential of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. followed by molecular docking studies. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants, 27(1), 57–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/0972060X.2024.2302110  [IF-2.40]
8. Kumar, S., Kaur, H., Hunjan, M.S. and Kaur Tarandeep (2023) Alternative management practices for the control of banded leaf and sheath blight incited by Rhizoctonia solani f.sp. sasakii (Kuhn) Exner in maize in North Western India. Tropical Plant Pathology.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-023-00604-6 [IF-2.4]
9. Kaur A, Sharma VK, Rani R and Hunjan MS (2023) Morpho-molecular characterization based diversity analysis of Bipolaris isolates infecting graminaceous hosts. Cereal Research Communications. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-023-00409-y  [IF-1.24]
10. Thesiya MR, Lore JS, Bhatia D, Kalia A, Hunjan MS and Kaur R. (202) Histopathological patterns and differential behavioural of Rhizoctonia solani causing sheath blight in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Journal of Phytopathology, https://doi.org/10.1111/jph.13194. [IF-1.83]
11. Chhabra, R., Sharma, R., Hunjan, M.S. Sharma VK, Thakur S and Chauhan SK (2023) Efficacy of botanical extracts on imparting systemic acquired resistance against rice sheath blight incited by Rhizoctonia solani. J Plant Dis Prot (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-023-00722-y  [IF-1.85]
12. Sabhikhi, H.S., Hunjan, M.S. and Kaur, Y. (2023) Development of common scab in potato cv. Kufri Pukhraj in Indian Punjab is influenced by scab lesion severity on seed tubers and duration of crop in the field. J Plant Dis Prot . https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-023-00719-7  [IF-1.85]
13. Chhabra R, Sharma R, Hunjan MS, Sharma VK, Sharma P and Chauhan SK (2023) Microstructural and metabolic variations induced by Bipolaris oryzae inciting brown spot disease of rice. Cereal Research Communications (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-023-00351-z   [IF-1.24]
14. Chhabra R., Sharma R., Hunjan MS, Sharma VK, Thakur S, and Chauhan S (2022) Physio-biochemical and histological alterations in response to sheath blight disease of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Journal of Phytopathology, 170: 778-90. https://doi.org/10.1111/jph.13141.  [IF-1.79]
15. Kumar S, Kaur H, Hunjan MS and Kaur K (2022) Biochemical changes induced in the maize leaf sheath upon inoculation with Rhizoctonia solani incitant of banded leaf and sheath blight. Cereal Research Communications. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-022-00310-0. [IF-0.85]
16. Hima D, Sonia K and Hunjan MS (2022) Chemical composition and antibacterial potential of Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight Arn. leaves essential oil against phytopathogenic bacteria of rice and potato. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants, 25:468-481, DOI: 10.1080/0972060X.2022.2105661  [IF-1.70]
17. Singh S, Kaushal S, Hunjan MS and Sharma P. (2022) Chemical composition and molecular docking studies of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub. leaves and fruits extracts as antifungal agents against rice phytopathogenic fungi. Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection. https://doi.org/10.1080/03235408.2022.2081769   [IF-1.0]
18. Hunjan MS, Kumar S, Lore JS and Vera Cruz CM (2022) Efficiency of different Rhizoctonia solani inoculum source against sheath blight screening in rice under field conditions. Tropical Plant Pathology https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-021-00489-3.  [IF-1.49]
19. Lore JS, Hunjan MS, Jain J, Kumar S, Singh P, Mangat GS, Zaidi NW, Singh US. (2021). Temporal and spatial progression of sheath blight in mega rice varieties of South Asia. Australasian Plant Pathology 50: 609-619. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-021-00812-1    [IF-1.42]
20. Dhanda S, Kaur S, Chaudhary A, Jugulam M, Hunjan MS, Sangha MK and Bhullar MS (2021) Characterization and management of metsulfuron-resistant Rumex dentatus biotypes in North-West India. Agronomy Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20849.   [IF-2.28]
21. Kumar S, Kaur H and Hunjan MS (2021) Genetic diversity and virulence spectrum of Rhizoctonia solani, the incitant of banded leaf and sheath blight of maize. Journal of Phytopathology https://doi.org/10.1111/ jph.13004   [IF-1.18]
22. Lore JS, Jain J, Hunjan MS, Kamboj I, Zaidi NW and Singh US (2021) Efficiency of axenically grown Rhizoctonia solani inoculum types in evaluating sheath blight development on rice genotypes. Journal of Phytopathology https://doi.org/10.1111/jph.13006   [IF-1.18]
23. Lore JS, Jain J, Hunjan MS, Singh P and Kumar S (2021) Quantification of yield losses with relation to sheath blight development at different growth stages in mega rice varieties of South Asia. Journal of Phytopathology https://doi.org/10.1111/jph.13005     [IF-1.18]
24. Hiremath SS, Bhatia D, Jain J, Hunjan MS, Zaidi NW, Singh US, Zhou B and Lore JS (2020) Identification of potential donors and QTLs for resistance to false smut in a subset of rice diversity panel. European Journal of Plant Pathology https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-020-02172   [IF-1.74]
25. Hunjan M and Sabhikhi H (2020) Designing a crop rotation strategy to manage Streptomyces scabies causing potato scab in North India. Journal of Phytopathology  doi.org/10.1111/jph.12911 [IF-1.10]