Education: B.Sc., HAU, Hisar (1987); M.Sc., PAU, Ludhiana (1990); Ph.D., CCS HAU, Hisar (1995)

Positions held: Assistant Agronomist, PAU RRS Gurdapsur (December 1995-August 2001), Agronomist, PAU RRS Ballowal Saunkhri (August 2001-January 2004), Agronomist, PAU Ludhiana (January 2004-December 2008), Principal Agronomist, PAU Ludhiana (January 2009-continuing)

Field of Specialization: Crop Production, Genotypic evaluation for resource use efficiency,

Present Research Interests/Projects:

Research Interests: (Maximum up to three areas of interest)

1. Developing cost-effective, resource-use efficient, climate change resilient production technologies for better quality edible oils and seed meal of major oilseed crops
2. Refinement of existing production package for improved resource use efficiency and productivity of oilseed crops.
3. Dissemination of improved varieties/hybrids and production technology of oilseed crops among farmers.

Research Projects:

1. All India Coordinated Research Project on Rapeseed-Mustard (since 2004)
2. Associated as Co-PI with sub-project ‘Association mapping for traits associated with nitrogen use efficiency using a structured set of founder lines representing structured diversity (Diversity Fixed Foundation Sets for Brassica juncea – Bj DFFA)’ of DBT sponsored Centre of Excellence and Innovation in Biotechnology project on Germplasm enhancement for crop architecture and defensive traits inBrassica junceaL.Czern and Cossawarded to Oilseeds Section of PAU, Ludhiana (2013-2021).
3. Associated as Cooperating Investigator in the ICAR National Agricultural Science Fund Project Creating a fully characterized genetic resource pipeline for mustard improvement programme in India (2016-2019).
4. Associated as Cooperating Investigator in the DBT, Newton Bhabha Fund Indo-UK project on, Genomics-led improvement of biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in mustard rape for economic and environmental sustainability (2018-2022).
5. Associated as Co-PI with sub-projects ‘Phenotyping of sesame germplasm for agro-morphological traits’ and ‘Wide hybridization and genetic enhancement’ on DBT funded project on Minor Oilseeds of Indian Origin: Mainstreaming sesame germplasm for productivity enhancement and sustainability through genomics assisted core development and trait discovery (2020-2025).
6. Improving productivity of rainfed maize-based cropping system with rainwater management on watershed (micro) basis. (NATP-RNPS-11). Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (2001-2003).
7. Nutrient management practices for important oilseed-based cropping systems for improving yield and oil output under rainfed conditions. (NATP-ROPS-11). Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (2001-2003).
8. Agronomic management for enhanced productivity and oil quality improvement of Hyola (Brassica napus) Advanta India Ltd (2004-05).

Selected Research Publications (maximum up to 5):

1. Upadhyay Priyanka, Gupta Mehak, Sra Simarjeet Kaur, Sharda Rakesh, Sharma Sanjula, Sardana Virender, Akhatar Javed and Kaur Gurpreet (2022) Genome-wide association studies for acid phosphatise activity at varying phosphorous levels in Brassica juncea L. Frontiers in Plant Science 13:1056028. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1056028 (NAAS Rating = 12.63).
2. Kaur Manpreet, Malik Dharam Pal, Malhi Gurdeep Singh, Sardana Virender, Bolan Nanthi S, Lal Rattan and Siddique Kadambot H M (2022) Rice residue management in Indo-Gangetic plains for climate and food security. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 42: 92. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-022-00817-0 (NAAS Rating = 13.83).
3. Akhatar J, Prabha M, Kaur N, Sharma A, Kaur H, Kaur N, Sharma S, Bharti B, Sardana V K and Banga S (2020) Association mapping of seed quality traits under varying conditions of nitrogen application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss. Frontiers in Genetics, Section Nutrigenomics, doi: 10.3389//fgene.2020.00744 (NAAS Rating = 10.77).
4. Gupta Neha, Gupta Mehak, Akhatar Javed, Goyal Anna, Kaur Rimaljeet, Sharma Sanjula, Goyal Prinka, Mukta Archana, Kaur Navneet, Mittal Meenakshi, Prabha Singh Mohini, Bharti Baudh, Sardana V. K., Surinder S. Banga (2020) Association genetics of the parameters related to nitrogen use efficiency in Brassica juncea L. Plant Molecular Biology https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-020-01076-x (NAAS Rating = 10.34).
5. Pal R, Mahajan G, Sardana V and Chauhan B S (2017) Impact of sowing date on yield, dry matter and nitrogen accumulation, and nitrogen translocation in dry-seeded rice in north-west India. Field Crops Research. 206: 138-148 (NAAS Rating = 12.15).

Awards/Honours/Distinctions:

Research papers: 162, Papers presented in conferences/symposia/seminars: 94, Review papers: 13 Book chapters: 11, Bulletin: 01, Teaching manual: 01, Popular articles: 183

• Senior Scholarship by Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt of India under Indo-China Bilateral Exchange programme for Post Doctorate in China (September 2001-July 2002)
• Endeavour Research Fellowship by Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), Australia for Post Doctorate in Australia (May 2010-September 2010)
• Team member of the Best Performing Centre award among Main Centres of All India Coordinated Research Project on Rapeseed-Mustard for year 2010-11.
• Recipient of Gold Medal from Society for Rapeseed Mustard Research in 2019.
• Nine best poster presentation awards (Four 1^st, three 2^nd and two 3^rd) poster paper awards in the national conferences/symposia.
• Co-author of two first oral presentation awards in the national conference in the national conferences.
• Fellow, Society of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, India (2014).
• Fellow, Indian Society of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad, India (2017).
• Fellow, Indian Society of Weed Science, Jabalpur, India (2018).
• Guest editor of international journal ‘Crop Protection’ for special issue on Ecofriendly Weed Management for the year 2017.
• Associate editor of Journal of Oilseeds Research, Indian Society of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad for three years (2018-2020).
• Associate Editor, Frontiers in Weed Science since July 2022.
• Member of the Editorial Board, Journal of Oilseed Brassica, Society for Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur from 2012 to 2021.
• Member editorial board, Indian Journal of Weed Science, Indian Society of Weed Science, Jabalpur for two years (2017 and 2018).
• Member of the Editorial Board, Indian Journal of Agronomy, Indian Society of Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi for two years (2022 and 2023).