Scientist Profile

Dr. Rajeev Nayan Bahuguna

Dr. Rajeev Nayan Bahuguna

Scientist D

Date of Joining: 23 Jan 2023

+91 172 522 1202

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Stress physiology, Phenomics, Plant respiration, Photosynthesis, Source-sink dynamics

Email id: rajeev.bahuguna@nabi.res.in

Assistant Professor, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar, India (Nov 2018–Jan 2023)

  • Characterized crop responses to the combination of multiple co- and simultaneously occurring abiotic and biotic stresses in rice and wheat crop. 
  • Being part of the wheat Biofortification team, we have developed a high yielding blast resistant finger millet variety Rajendra Madua-1 (RAUF-17) and a high yielding, iron and zinc biofortified wheat variety Rajendra Genhu-4 (HUW-828) 
  • Developed a unique low-cost field-based plant phenotyping platform for screening crops and mapping populations for combinations of different abiotic stresses (Heat, Drought, Salinity), and elevated CO2 

DST Young Scientist (Fast-track) Fellowship, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India (Jan 2016–Nov 2018)

  • Advanced phenotyping and characterization of a diverse rice germplasm for CO2-high night temperature combination stress
  • Carbon balance dynamics (Photosynthesis: respiration) in rice under high day and night temperature 

Research Scientist, School of Life Sciences, JNU, New Delhi, India (Jun 2015–Jan 2016)

  • Characterization of rice mutant lines for combination of heat-drought-salinity stress

Post-Doctoral Fellow, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Baños, Manila, Philippines (Aug 2012–Jan 2015)

  • Dark respiration and source-sink dynamics in rice
  • Rice response to high day and high night temperature 

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India (Jan 2010–Aug 2012)

  • Rice, chickpea response to high day temperature stress  
  • We have provided a solution to overcome sensitivity of rice to high night temperature by active selection of genotypes and developing varieties that are highly responsive to CO2.
  • We have explained (i) the differential response of rice crop towards high day and high night temperature, and (ii) dark respiration is a major route of carbon loss resulting in lower yield and biomass in rice.
  • We could identify the target enzymes in developing rice caryopsis, which can be utilized to develop high night temperature tolerance in rice. 
  • Crop response to combination of multiple abiotic and biotic stress combinations
  • Understanding the source-sink dynamics to improve crop yield   
  • Photosynthesis and Respiration
  • High throughput crop phenotyping 
  • Genome-wide association study   

 

Publications (Best Five)

  1. Bahuguna RN, Chaturvedi AK, Pal M, Viswanathan C, Jagadish SVK, Pareek A (2022) Carbon dioxide responsiveness mitigates rice yield loss under high night temperature. Plant Physiology, 188 (1): 285-300. doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiab470
  2. Nan E, Ainsworth E, Bahuguna RN et al. (2022). Climate change challenges, plant science solutions. The Plant Cell 35(1), pp 24-66. doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koac303 
  3. Bahuguna RN, Solis CA, Shi W, Jagadish SVK (2017). Post-flowering night respiration and altered sink activity account for high night temperature-induced grain yield and quality loss in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Physiologia Plantarum, 159: 59-73. doi.org/10.1111/ppl.12485 
  4. Bahuguna RN, Jha J, Pal M, Shah D, Lawas ML, Khetarpal S, Jagadish SVK (2015) Physiological and biochemical characterization of NERICA-L 44: A novel source of heat tolerance at the vegetative and reproductive stages in rice. Physiologia Plantarum, 154: 543-559. doi.org/10.1111/ppl.12299
  5. Dabral S, Yashaswee, Varma A, Choudhary DK, Bahuguna RN,* Nath M (2019) Biopriming with Piriformospora indica ameliorates cadmium stress in rice by lowering oxidative stress and cell death in root cells. Ecotoxicology and Environment Safety, 186: 109741. doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109741
     
  • R.D. Asana Gold Medal Award-2017 by Indian Society of Plant Physiology, New Delhi, India
  • ISPP-Young Scientist Award-2017 by Indian Society of Plant Physiology, New Delhi, India
  • DST (Young Scientist) fellowship (2016-2019): SERB, Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India
  • Best Poster Award-2011 in National Seminar organized by Indian Society of Plant Physiology, New Delhi, India
  • Associate Editor Plant Physiology Reports (Indian Society of Plant Physiology, New Delhi, India) 
  • Life member of Indian Indian Society of Plant Physiology, New Delhi, India