Pankajini Samal

Pankajini joined Forest Research in August 2023 as a research assistant in the Tree health pathology department. She is working in the chestnut blight project and her main role is to study the genetic diversity study of tree pathogens and their control by using molecular techniques like DNA extraction different methods, real-time PCRs, RNA extractions, and RNA mycoviruses detection and hypovirulence tests for management of tree pathogen.

Pankajini did her PhD on host-pathogen interaction between Rice and Rhizoctonia solani using omics approach from ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, India. During her PhD, she was involved in identification of disease resistant QTLs, differential gene expression analysis, transcriptomics and proteomics analysis. She was also involved in the molecular breeding program for developing biotic and abiotic stress resistant rice varieties. She did her bachelors in plant science (Botany Hons.) from Utkal University, India and continued her interest in plant science by doing her masters in Plant science and Biotechnology from Ravenshaw University, India. She is very much interested for applying her molecular skills to better management of tree health and pathogens.

PhD

pankajini.samal@forestresearch.gov.uk

Research Assistant - Pathology

Tree health

Alice Holt

Alice Holt Lodge

Farnham

Surrey GU10 4LH

Other Research

Publications:

Romon-Ochoa P, Samal P, Gorton C, Lewis A, Chitty R, Eacock A, Krzywinska E, Crampton M, Pérez-Sierra A, Biddle M, et al. Cryphonectria parasitica Detections in England, Jersey, and Guernsey during 2020–2023 Reveal Newly Affected Areas and Infections by the CHV1 Mycovirus. Journal of Fungi. 2023; 9(10):1036. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9101036

Samal, P., Molla, K.A., Bal, A. et al. (2022). Comparative transcriptome profiling reveals the basis of differential sheath blight disease response in tolerant and susceptible rice genotypes. Protoplasma 259(1), 61–73. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-021-01637-x

Bal A#, Samal P#, Chakraborti M, Mukherjee AK, Ray S, Molla KA, Behera L, Samal R, Sarangi S, Sahoo P, Behera M, Lenka S, Azharudheen TPM, Khandual A, Kar MK (2020) Stable quantitative trait locus (QTL) for sheath blight resistance from rice cultivar CR 1014. Euphytica 216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-020-02702-x

Swain H, Adak T, Mukherjee AK, Sarangi S, Samal P, Khandual A, Jena R, Bhattacharyya P, Naik SK, Mehetre ST, Baite MS, Kumar M S and Zaidi NW (2021) Seed Biopriming With Trichoderma Strains Isolated From Tree Bark Improves Plant Growth, Antioxidative Defense System in Rice and Enhance Straw Degradation Capacity. Front. Microbiol. 12:633881. doi.10.3389/fmicb.2021.633881

Shasmita , Samal Pankajini, Mohapatra Pradipta K., Naik Soumendra K., Mukherjee Arup K. (2020) Improved photosystem II and defense enzymes activity in rice (Oryza sativa) by biopriming against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Functional Plant Biology 48, 298- 311.https://doi.org/10.1071/FP20221

Chakraborty, K., Mondal, S., Ray, S., Samal, P., Pradhan, B., Chattopadhyay, K., Kar, M. K., Swain, P., & Sarkar, R. K. (2020). Tissue tolerance coupled with ionic discrimination can potentially minimize the energy cost of salinity tolerance in rice. Frontiers in plant science, 11, 265. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00265

Kumar, Y. M., Aravindan, S., Prabhukarthikeyan, S. R., Keerthana, U., Raghu, S., Archana, B., Pankajini S. … & Pramesh, D. (2019). Characterization and molecular phylogeny of Magnaporthe oryzae causing rice blast disease in eastern India. Research Journal of Biotechnology Vol, 14, 6.