Scientific Staff
Education goes beyond textbooks and classrooms. We believe in empowering students to explore their passions challenge conventions.
Dr Abhijith K P
Scientist
School of Crop Science
PhD (Genetics and Plantbreeding)
About: Dr Abhijith K P
Dr. Abhijith K P is a Scientist specializing in Genetics and Plant Breeding with a practical focus on crop improvement. His research involves developing molecular markers and using Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) to identify genes related to important plant traits and stress tolerance. He has hands-on experience developing heterotic pools for rice and studying specific genetic traits in maize. Alongside his traditional breeding work, he uses programming languages like R and Python to analyze genetic data and assist in developing computational tools for agricultural research
Academic Qualifications
- PhD, 2018-2023 Genetics and Plant Breeding, Indian Agricultural Research Institute New Delhi
- M.Sc. 2016-2018. Genetics and Plant Breeding, Indian Agricultural Research Institute New Delhi
- B.Sc. (Agriculture) 2012-2016 University of Agricultural Sciences,Bangalore
Contact Information
Email Address :- abhijithkpgen@gmail.com
ORCID ID / Google Scholar profile link:-
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Ocu1TcEAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Date of joining ICAR-IARI Assam
11-04-2023
Number of publications
11
Major research contributions / notable work
Conducted the first Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) in Basmati rice, mapping novel genetic regions responsible for grain quality and agronomic traits. Successfully developed heterotic pools to guide systematic crossing programs.
Developed and validated breeder-friendly, gene-based markers for low phytic acid genes (lpa1 and lpa2) in maize, directly supporting breeding programs focused on nutritional improvement.
Contributed to the identification of novel gene candidates linked to reproductive-stage heat stress tolerance in rice using GWAS. Currently screening and evaluating lentil breeding lines specifically adapted to the acidic soils of Assam.
Developed Plant Breeding Analytical Tools (PbAT) (available at https://pbat.online) to assist with analyzing the agricultural data.
Awards / recognitions
Best Oral Presentation (2025): Awarded at the National Conference on "Advances in Climate-conscious Crop Science: Genetics, Genomics and Breeding," organized by the Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding.
Best Poster Award (2022): Awarded at MendelSym by the Division of Genetics at the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi.
Best Poster Award (2021): Conferred at the International Conference on "Future Challenges and Prospects in Plant Breeding," organized by the Indian Society of Plant Breeders.