Rookie AgriLife Research scientist published in prestigious journal

WESLACO  —  A scientist hired earlier this year at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco is already gaining recognition by appearing on the cover of a highly respected scientific journal, according to other researchers there.

Dr. Kranthi Mandadi, a molecular biologist who began his duties in January, is featured in the cover story of The Plant Cell, the journal of record published by the American Society of Plant Biologists.

The article describes the research Mandadi is conducting with a colleague, Dr. Karen-Beth Scholthof at Texas A&M in College Station, using model plants that are much smaller and have a shorter growing cycle than the commercial crops, thereby accelerating the pace of disease, environmental and pest-management research.

Dr. Erik Mirkov, himself a renowned scientist at the Weslaco center credited with several patents in citrus and sugarcane research, said Mandadi’s achievements are impressive.

“The Plant Cell is one of the most prestigious journals for publishing articles on groundbreaking research in basic plant biology and plant molecular biology,” he said. “It’s the ‘bible’ of plant biology, and it’s very, very difficult to get published in that journal, let alone a cover story.”

Mandadi’s publication speaks volumes about his potential, Mirkov said.

“For Kranthi to be featured in The Plant Cell so early in his career is testament to his outstanding knowledge and abilities in the field of plant biology. He obviously has a very promising future in AgriLife Research.”

According to its website, The Plant Cell is “ranked first in impact among journals publishing primary research in the plant sciences due to its publication of novel research of special significance to plant biology, especially in the areas of cellular biology, molecular biology, genetics, development and evolution.”

After completing his bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences in India, Mandadi moved to the U.S. to pursue higher education at Texas A&M University. There he received his master’s degree in plant and soil sciences and his doctorate in molecular and environmental plant sciences.

After stints as a graduate student and postdoctoral research associate at Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M in College Station, respectively, he was appointed as assistant professor for plant pathology and microbiology at the AgriLife Research and Extension center at Weslaco.   

“The ultimate goal of my research here is to use the latest genomic and genetics tools to identify the impact of plant genes and how a plant responds to stresses,” Mandadi said. “In working with other researchers here in Weslaco, we want to deploy novel genes that can make plants resistant to both pathogens and environmental stresses, which is how stress conditions exist.

“There are multiple stress conditions simultaneously. For example, a plant may be suffering from both a plant disease and cold weather, or insect pressures in a drought. We’re finding out that there are genes that handle multiple stresses, or that ‘cross-talk’ with each other to handle multiple stresses.”

Mandadi said this is a very interesting concept and an area of research that is underexplored.

“It is very important for us to find out more about how these central stress regulators work, and how the different abiotic and biotic stress signaling pathways are interconnected,” he said. “Perhaps we can use this information to develop multi-stress tolerant ‘super’ crops. This is why my research employs the latest tools in genomics and genetics to discover, study and deploy such central stress regulators in crop plants.”

By novel genes, Mandadi said he is referring to genes from different plant varieties, from

wild plant germ plasm or from other crops.  

“There are many sources for these genes. In fact, they may already be in a plant,” he said. “We just need to find them.”

The field of genomics has advanced light years in just the last decade, Mandadi said. What used to take a year in deciphering genetic information may now take only a day.

“The challenge is what to do with the reams of information gathered in that one day,” he said. “But by using plant models, we can at least reduce the time and space needed to do genetic research, which is what the article in The Plant Cell is all about.”

One model plant Mandadi has been using, in collaboration with Scholthof, is Brachypodium distachyon, a monocot grass useful for the study of diseases of cereal and bioenergy grasses. Another is Arabidopsis, a model for field crops such as citrus and potatoes.

“What we’re trying to determine in these much smaller plants is how our field crops, such as sugarcane and citrus, respond to and fight stress,” he said. “By knowing that, we can awaken or introduce genes into commercially important plants to help them fight pathogens and environmental stresses.”

Dr. Juan Landivar, director of the Weslaco center, said Mandadi’s recognition in The Plant Cell represents the cutting-edge research being conducted in Texas.

“The Plant Cell is highly regarded by leading scientists, not just in the U.S. but globally,” he said. “Dr. Mandadi’s work in that journal shows that his peers recognize the tremendous advances he has made in a relatively short period of time. The good news is we have several scientific teams in Weslaco using the latest technologies to increase and improve crop production for the benefit of producers and consumers alike.”

To see The Plant Cell paper online go to http://www.plantcell.org/content/27/1/71.abstract .