Dr. Vineet Kumar Sharma joined Punjab Agricultural University in 1994 in the Department of Plant Pathology at the Regional Research Station, Faridkot, College of Agriculture. He completed his B.Sc. (Agriculture Hons.) with ICAR Merit Scholarship, M.Sc. (Plant Pathology) with ICAR merit fellowship, and Ph.D. (Plant Pathology) with CSIR-SRF, from Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, H.P. His field of specialization is fungal pathology, with research interests in diseases of groundnut, moong, barley, and raya, focusing on their epidemiology and management. He has contributed extensively to plant pathology research, publishing more than 75 research papers in high-impact journals including Journal of Phytopathology, Mycosphere, Australasian Plant Pathology, and Indian Phytopathology. His work has addressed topics such as physio-biochemical responses to sheath blight in rice, ecofriendly management of spot blotch in barley, defense induction against Karnal bunt in wheat, and epidemiology of false smut in rice. He has 5 framer recommendations to his name.

Dr. Sharma has held significant editorial responsibilities, served as Editor-in-Chief of Plant Disease Research since January 2013 to 2023, Associate Editor from 2010 to 2012, and Editor of the Journal of Mycology and Plant Pathology from 2015 to 2018. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Himachal Journal of Agricultural Research since 2020.

Professional Accomplishments

Research Publications:

1. Bhandhari D, Bala R, Srivastava P, Kaur J and Sharma V K (2025). Unveiling loose smut resistance in Indian bread wheat germplasm: Gene postulation and pedigree analysis. Crop Science, 65, e21441. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21441 (NAAS rating 8.00).
2. Bhandari D, Ritu Bala, Srivastava P, Kaur J, Vineet K Sharma (2025). Exploring Loose Smut Resistance in Indian Wheat Germplasm: Marker-Linked Insights to Postulate Resistance Genes. Cereal Research Communications https://doi.org/10.1007/s4976-025-00665-0  (NAAS rating 7.60).
3. Chhabra R, Sharma R, Hunjan M S, Sharma, V K, 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, 00, 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1111/jph.13142
4. Gautam AK, Avasthi S, Verma RK, Devadatha B, Jayawardena RS, Sushma, Ranadive KR, Kashyap PL, Bhadauria R, Prasher IB, Sharma VK, Niranjan M, Jeewon R (2021) Indian Pucciniales: Taxonomic outline with important descriptive notes. Mycosphere 12(1), 89–162, Doi 10.5943/Mycosphere/12/1/2 (NAAS rating-7.99).
5. Thapa S, Ritu Bala, Sharma VK, Srivastava P, Kaur J, Bromand F, Kumari P, Gupta K and Bohra Y (2022) Basis of Karnal bunt resistance in diploid and tetraplod triticeae species. Indian Phytopathology Jan/22/DOI10.1007/s42360-021-00448-7 
6. Kaur A, Sharma V K and Rani R (2022). Role of melanin production by Helminthosporium species on pathogenicity in graminaceous hosts. Indian Journal of Ecology 49(2): 533-541.
7. Kaur A and Sharma V K (2021) Cross infectivity of Helminthosporium isolates occurring on barley and other graminaceous host. Agricultural Research Journal 58: 75-81. (NAAS rating- 5.44).
8. Singh J, Kaur A, Sharma V K and Sharma S (2021) Differential biochemical response in resistant and susceptible barley (Hordeum vulgare) cultivars upon covered smut (Ustilago hordei) infection. Indian Phytopathology 74: 173-179. doi.org/10.1007/s42360-021-00326-2 (NAAS rating- 5.90).
9. Kaur A, Sharma V K and Sharma S (2021). Management of spot blotch of barley: an ecofriendly approach. Australasian Plant Pathology doi https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-021-00785-1. (NAAS rating-7.11).
10. Singh J, Kaur A, Sharma V K and Kalia A (2021). Variable host pathogen interactions in resistant and susceptible barley (Hordeum vulgare) genotypes to Ustialgo hordei. Indian Journal of Ecology 48(5): 1449-1452.
11. Singh J, Kaur A, Sharma V K and Kalia A (2021). Variable host pathogen interactions in resistant and susceptible barley (Hordeum vulgare) genotypes to Ustialgo hordei. Indian Journal of Ecology 48(5): 1449-1452.
12. Kaur A, Bohra Y and Sharma V K (2021). Effect of salicylic acid and calcium chloride in induction of resistance against spot blotch of barley. Plant Disease Research 36: 149-153.
13. Sharma S, Sharma V K and Pawar T (2021). Natural occurrence of Euphorbia leaf curl virus (EuLCV) infecting Zinnia in India. Indian Journal of Ecology 48(6): 1798-1801.
14. Singh J, Sharma V K and Kaur A (2020) Evaluation of barley genotypes for resistance against covered smut disease. Indian Phytopatholgy 73:359-360. (NAAS rating- 5.90).
15. Rani R, and Sharma V K (2018) Diversity analysis of northern Indian isolates of Ustilaginoidea virens. Indian Phytopathology. (Springer).71:33-42. (NAAS Rating- 5.90).
16. Pankaj S C, Sharma PK and Sharma VK (2015) Performance of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties in relation to date of sowing and nitrogen level. Agricultural Research Journal 52(1): 89-91.
17. Sidhu A, Khushbu and Sharma V K (2015) Synthesis and structure activity relationship of substituted thiazoles against Drechslera oryzae. Agricultural Research Journal 52(1) 42:46.
18. Rani R, Sharma VK, Kumar P and Mohan C (2015) Impact of simulated rainfall on persistence of fungicides used against late blight (Phytophthora infestans) of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 85(2): 256-260. (NAAS Rating- 6.00)
19. Rani R, Sharma VK, Lore J S and Pannu P P S (2015) Cultural studies on Ustilaginoidea virens, the incitant of false smut of rice (Oryza sativa). Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 85(4):888-891. (NAAS Rating- 6.00).
20. Kaur A, Sharma VK, Sirari A, Kaur J, Singh G and Kumar P (2015) Variability in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris causing wilt in chickpea. African Journal of Microbiology Research 9(15): DOI:10.5897/AJMR2014.7267. (NAAS Rating-5.00).
21. Rani R, Sharma VK, Pannu P P S and Lore J S (2015) Influence of nitrogen fertilizer dose on false smut of rice caused by Ustilaginoidea virens. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 85(8):1003–1006. (NAAS Rating- 6.00).
22. Rani R, Sharma VK, Lore JS, Pannu PPS (2015) Physiological studies on Ustilaginoidea virens causing false smut of rice. Plant Disease Research 30(2):132-135. (NAAS Rating- 3.30).      
23. Rani R, Sharma V K, Lore J S, Pannu P P S and Kaur Y (2015) Screening of rice germplasm against Ustilaginoidea virens, the incitant of false smut. Agricultural Research Journal 53(1):134-37. (NAAS Rating- 3.30).
24. Ghumber K, Sidhu A and Sharma V K (2015) Green synthesis of thhiazol-2ylthiazolidin-4-ones as potential antifungal. Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry 88 (12): 2065-73. (IF=0.6, NAAS Rating- 6.60).
25. Singh M, Bala R, Sharma V K, Kaur J and Sharma S (2017) Biochemical basis of resistance in wheat against Karnal bunt caused by Tilletia indica. Indian Phytopathology 70 (2):216-219. (NAAS Rating- 5.90).

Awards and Recognitions:

• Awarded University Gold Medal, Certificate of Honours in Ph.D.
• Awarded Santosh Siksha Puraskar for obtaining first position in H.P. state in Ph.D.
• Awarded University Gold Medal and Certificate of Honours in M.Sc.
• Recipient of Senior Research Fellowship awarded by the C.S.I.R., New Delhi in Ph.D.
• Recipient of University Merit Fellowship in M.Sc.
• Recipient of I.C.A.R. Merit Fellowship in B.Sc. Agriculture. 
• Awarded Appreciation Certificate by Head, Department of Plant Pathology for developing postgraduate laboratory of the department.
• Awarded several Appreciation letter and Best paper presentation awards in different symposia / conferences.