Profile
To understand the molecular mechanisms by which plants defend themselves against wide array of insect herbivores, and to use this knowledge in developing insect control strategies. We use forward and reverse genetics approach, biochemical techniques, metabolomics and imaging to expedite novel discoveries in plant defense against insect herbivory.
Current Focus Areas
1. Activation of early immunity in plant- insect interaction
2. Role of calcium channels and membrane transporters in plant immunity
3. Metabolomics in studying plant immunity and symbiosis
4. Beneficial endophytes plant root interaction via calcium signaling
Selected Publications
1. Meena MK, Prajapati R, Krishna D, Divakaran K, Pandey Y, Reichelt M, Mathew MK, Boland W, Mithöfer A and Vadassery J (2019) The Ca2+ channel CNGC19 regulates Arabidopsis defense against spodoptera herbivory. Plant Cell, 31: 1539-1562.
Kundu A, Mishra S, Kundu P, Jogawat A, Vadassery J (2021) Piriformospora indica employs hosts putrescine for growth promotion in plants. Plant Physiology,doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiab536
Mittal, D., Gautam, J. K., Varma, M., Laie, A., Mishra, S., Behera, S., & Vadassery, J. (2024). External jasmonic acid isoleucine mediates amplification of plant elicitor peptide receptor (PEPR) and jasmonate-based immune signalling. Plant, Cell & Environment, 10.1111/pce.14812
Jogawat A, Meena MK, Kundu A, Varma M, Vadassery J (2020) Calcium channel CNGC19 mediates basal defense signaling to balance colonization of Piriformospora indica on Arabidopsis roots. Journal of Experimental Botany, pii: eraa028.
Prajapati, V.K., Verma, M., Vadassery, J (2020) In silico identification of effector proteins from generalist herbivore, Spodoptera litura. BMC Genomics 21, 819.