Dr. Norah Johal joined Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, as a Botanist in October 2019 in the Department of Botany and later transitioned to the Centre for Water Technology and Management, Department of Agronomy, in October 2021. She holds a B.Sc. (Medical) from Panjab University, Chandigarh (2012, 87.5%), an M.Sc. (Botany) from PAU (2014, 8.66/10), and a Ph.D. (Botany) from PAU (2018, 8.40/10), all with distinctions. Her research focuses on plant physiology and water relations, particularly drought and salinity stress in crops like chickpea and rice. She has published 7 research papers in high-impact journals, contributed 5 book chapters, and delivered lectures on plant physiology. Dr. Johal has guided 5 M.Sc. and Ph.D. students as an advisory committee member and 1 M.Sc. student as a major advisor. She secured a Rs. 1.99 crore FIST grant (2023-2028) as Co-PI and submitted two SERB research proposals worth Rs. 60 lakhs. Actively involved in teaching, she has taught multiple botany courses and participated in extension activities, including Agri-DIKSHA lectures and educational tours.

Professional Accomplishments

Research Projects ongoing

• Fund for Improvement of Science & Technology Infrastructure (FIST) Program

Role: Co-Principal Investigator

• Funding Agency: Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India

Duration: March 2023 – March 2028

Funding: Rs. 1.99 crore

• Aimed at enhancing research infrastructure for water technology and management.

Research Publications:

1. Johal N, Kaur J, Grewal SK, Singh S and Kushwah A (2020). Physiological and biochemical responses of Chickpea accessions at reproductive stage under receding moisture conditions. Agricultural Research (Springer), 9:554–567. (NAAS Rating: 5.91)
2. Johal N, Kaur J, Kushwah A, and Singh S (2020). Comparative agro-climatic indices of desi and kabuli chickpea genotypes in rain-fed and irrigated conditions. Journal of Food Legumes, 33:77-81. (NAAS Rating: 4.97)
3. Johal N, Kaur J, Kushwah A, and Singh S (2021). Correlation of stress indices with yield parameters in wild chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) accessions under irrigated and rain-fed conditions. Annals of Plant and Soil Research, 23:334-340. (NAAS Rating: 5.22)
4. Johal N, Kaur J, Singh S and Pal M (2021). Moisture-induced changes in root attributes and selection indices for drought tolerance in desi, kabuli, and wild chickpea accessions. Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources, 34(3):467-474. (NAAS Rating: 5.54)
5. Johal N, Batish D, Pal A, Chandel S and Pal M (2022). Investigating the effects of 2850 MHz electromagnetic field radiations on the growth, germination, and antioxidative defense system of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seedlings. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology, 69:136. (NAAS Rating: 7.48)
6. Pal M, Johal N, Thind SK and Devi V (2023). Effect of prohexadione-calcium on photosynthetic and yield parameters in basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) against lodging stress. Oryza, 60:362-369. (NAAS Rating: 5.03)
7. Johal N, Kaur J, Vikal V, Yadav I, Singh S and Singh I (2023). Moisture stress-induced anatomical, morpho-physiological, and molecular changes in chickpea genotypes. Plant Physiology Reports (Indian Journal of Plant Physiology), 28:378-387. (NAAS Rating: 5.50)
8. Kaur M, Johal N and Kaur J (2023). Role of foliar growth retardants on source-sink relationship and photosynthate partitioning in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) genotypes. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology, Accepted. (NAAS Rating: 7.40)
9. Kushwah A, Singh I, Singh G, Bindra S, Vij S, Johal N, Kaur K, Bhatia D and Singh S (2023). Evaluation of yield-based selection indices for drought tolerance involving recombinant inbred line population derived from a chickpea cultivar (C. arietinum L.) and its wild relative (C. reticulatum). Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1479262123001107. (NAAS Rating: 7.28)

Awards and Recognitions: Nil