Raghavendra Gunnaiah

As an experienced Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology, I have been actively teaching plant biotechnology and molecular biology courses and leading innovative research projects focused on genomics-assisted breeding of horticultural crops.

Crop varieties released:

Technologies developed:

• Peer-reviewed journals
• 1. B.Tanuja Priya, B.N.S. Murthy, Anand C. Reddy, Gunnaiah, R., D.C. Lakshmana Reddy, Identification and expression analysis of candidate genes imparting resistance to pomegranate bacterial blight, South African Journal of Botany, 171, 485-496, Q2
• 2. Radhika, D. H., Nandan, M., Gunnaiah, R., Doddaraju, P., Pavan, D., Manjunath, G., Singh, N. V. (2024). Genome and transcriptome exploration reveals receptor-like kinases as potential resistance gene analogues against bacterial blight in pomegranate. Molecular Biology Reports 10.1007/s11033-024-09670-8. Q2
• 3. Jakatimath S, Kumar KK, Mesta RK, Raghavendra, S., Peer-reviewed Archana, T. S., Kumar D. Exploring Bioactive Compounds in Prosopis juliflora Extracts Through Comparative LC–MS Analysis. Journal of Phytopathology. 2024 Sep;172(5):e13404.
• 4. Hiremata, V., Shet, R.M., Gunnaiah, R., Anjappa, P. and Manjunathagowda, D.C. (2023) Mangalore melon (Cucumis melo spp. agrestis var. acidulus): a neglected and underutilised vegetable of the western ghats of India. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 70, 1895-1902. Q2
• 5. Meghashree, J.R., Ganiger, V.M., Kumar, J.S.A., Bhuvaneshwari, G., Gopali, J.B., Evoor, S., Cholin, S.S., Gunnaiah, R., Shankarappa, T.H. and Krishnamurthy, S.L. (2023) Genetic diversity and population structure assessment of Indian bitter gourd accessions using nutritional content and molecular markers. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 71, 1557-1573. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-023-01709-2 Q2
• 6. Shwetha, A., Gunnaiah, R., Basavaraja, N., Krishna, K., Uday Kumar, H. and Sameer, S. (2023) Discovery of an SSR marker linked to Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus resistance in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-023-01799-y Q2
• 7. Kushalappa A, Hegde N, Gunnaiah R, Sathe A, Yogendra K, Ajiamala L. 2022. Apoptotic-like PCD-inducing HRC gene, when silenced, enhances multiple disease resistance in plants. Sci Rep 12, 20402 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24831-0
• 8. Jamunarani G, Ramanagouda S, Venkateshalu B, Jayappa J, Gunnaiah, R, Rudresh D, Kulkarni M, Mahanthesha B, Gopali J. 2022. Isolation and evaluation of indigenous endophytic entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana UHSB-END1 (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), against Spodoptera litura Fabricius. Egy. J. Biol. Pest Control. 32:1-15.
• 9. Shivashakarappa K, Reddy V, Tupakula VK, Fariana A, Vuppula A, Gunnaiah R. 2022. Nanotechnology for the Detection of Plant Pathogens. Plant Nano Biology.100018.
• 10. Chongloi L., Gunnaiah, R., Hipparagi K., Prakasha D, Vishwehwars S, Kamble A, Chittapur R, Guranna P 2022. Economic Analysis of Micropropagation of Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britton and Rose). Intl. J. Plant & Soil Science.1267-1275.
• 11. Shivashakarappa K., Gunnaiah R, Ajjappala B., S., Vuppula A, Kadi A, 2022. Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria on the Growth and Yield of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L. Beauv). Intl. J. Plant & Soil Science. 34:1737-1744.
• 12. Radhika, D.H., Gunnaiah, R., Lamani, A., Peerjade, D. and Jagadeesh, R.C. 2021. Long Read Genome Sequences of Xanthomonas citri pv punicae Strain Bagalkot, Causing Pomegranate Bacterial Blight. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 34 (7), 874-877
• 13. Gunnaiah, R., Jagadeesha, R.C., Cholin, S., Prabhuling, G., Govindaswamy Babu, A., Fakrudin, B., Pujer, P. and Murthy, S.B. 2021. Genetic Diversity Assessment and Population Structure Analysis of Pomegranate Cultivars from Different Countries and Himalayan Wild Accessions. J. Hortic. Sci. Biotechnol. 96 (5) 614-623
• 14. Patil, P.G., Sharma, J., Nanjundappa M., Singh, N. V., Bohra, A., Gunnaiah, R., Shivani M. J., Vinayaka, J. Sangnure, V. R. and Marathe, R. A. 2022 Identification and validation of SSR markers for Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae an incitant of bacterial blight of pomegranate. 3 Biotech 12, 153 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-022-03209-1
• 15. Deepashree, G., Raut, N., Gasti, V.D. Manjunathagowda, D. C., Rekha C., Gunnaiah, R., G. R. Sanjeevareddi, Kutsagi, G., Devan, S. R. and Chinthan, K. N. 2022 Molecular and morphological diversity among the cluster bean [ Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.] genotypes. Genet Resour Crop Evol (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-022-01419-1
• 16. Ratnakar M. Shet, T. Shantappa, Ashok, Shivanand Hongal, Gunnaiah, R and R.C. Jagadeesha 2022 Evaluation of postharvest shelf life of south Indian culinary melon (Cucumis melo var. acidulous) accessions. J. Applied Hort., 24(1): (NAAS rating 5.13)
• 17. Gunnaiah, R., Shet, R.M., Lamani, A., Radhika, D.H. and Jagadeesha, R.C. 2021. Genetic Diversity Assessment and Gene Expression Analysis of Prolonged Shelf-Life Genes in Mangalore Melon (Cucumis melo spp. agrestis var. Acidulus). Euphytica 217, 158 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-021-02887-9.
• 18. Shet, R.M., Hongal, S. and Gunnaiah, R. 2021. Performance of Mangalore Melon Selections in Farmer’s Field. Intl. J. Economic Plants 8: 001-005.
• 19. Shivadatta, K., Shantappa, T., Ratnakar, M., Shet, Satish, D., Jagadeesha, R.C., Gasti V.G. and Gunnaiah R. 2021. Genetic Variability and Correlation Studies in Intervarietal Hybrids of Mangalore Melon (Cucumis melo var. acidulous) for Productivity Traits. The Pharma Journal 10: 448-451.
• 20. Pushpa D, Pavan Kumara, Gunnaiah R., Abhishek Gowda, Lokesha V., Pujer P., and Manjunatha G., (2018) Reliable and early diagnosis of bacterial blight in pomegranate caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae using sensitive PCR techniques. Scientific Reports 9(1): 10097.
• 21. Asha, K., A. Sane, D. Tejaswini, S. R. Patil, S. S. Cholin, M. B. Naika and Gunnaiah R (2019). Validation of SCAR Marker Linked to Genic Male Sterility in Marigold: As a Forward Step towards Marker Assisted Breeding Programme. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App.Sci 8(2): 3373-3383
• 22. Kerakalamatti M., Mesta R. K., Rudresh D.L., Lokesh M. S., Kiran Kumar K.C. and Raghavendra G. (2019) In vitro evaluation of biogents against wilt of pomegranate caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata. Intl. J. Microbiol. 11 (3), 1503-1505.
• 23. Babu A. G., Prabhuling G., Rashmi S. K., Sathish D., Rohini K. P., Mulla S. R. , Gunnaiah R., Jagadeesha R. C. (2018) Genetic diversity analysis among banana cultivars through ISSR markers. J. Pharmacognosy Phytochem., 7(6): 1576-1580
• 24. Gunnaiah R, Vinod M S., Krishna Prasad and Elangovan A. (2014) Identification of candidate genes, governing gynoecy in bitter gourd ( Momordica Charantia L.) by in-silico gene expression analysis. Intl. J. Computer Applications 2, 5-9
• 25. Gunnaiah R., Kushalappa A.C. (2014) Metabolomics deciphers the host resistance mechanisms in wheat cultivar Sumai-3, against trichothecene producing and non-producing isolates of Fusarium graminearum. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 83, 40–50
• 26. Kushalappa A.C. Gunnaiah R. (2013) Metabolo-proteomics to identify plant biotic stress resistance genes, Review. Trends Plant Sci.18 (9) 522-531
• 27. Gunnaiah R., Kushalappa A.C., Duggavathi R., Fox S., Somers D.J. (2012) Integrated Metabolo-Proteomic Approach to Decipher the Mechanisms by Which Wheat QTL Fhb1 Contributes to Resistance against Fusarium graminearum. PLoS ONE 7:e40695.
• 28. Yogendra K. N., Gunnaiah R., Ramanjinj Gowda P.H. (2013) Stability and inheritance analysis of transgenic tobacco expressing Hepatitis B surface antigen. Aus. J. Crop Sci. 7(7):1010-1015
• 29. Chamarthi, S., Kundan K., Gunnaiah R., Kushalappa A.C., Dion Y. and Choo T.M. (2013) Identification of fusarium head blight resistance related metabolites specific to doubled haploid lines in barley. Eur. J. Pl. Pathol. DOI 10.1007/s10658-013-0302-8
• 30. Pushpa D., Yogendra K.N., Gunnaiah R., Kushalappa A.C., Murphy A., Identification of Late Blight Resistance-Related Metabolites and Genes in Potato through Non-targeted Metabolomics, Plant Mol. Biol. Report. 32 (2014) 584-595.
• 31. Bombale S. L., Ramanjinj Gowda P. H., Gunnaiah R., T. M. Ningaraju, T. Salome and H. S. Sandesh (2010) In Vitro Regeneration and Transformation of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) with Alternative AtWBC19 Marker Gene. Intl. J. of Biotech. And Biochem.6(1): 1-12.
• 32. Yogendra K. N., Ramanjinj Gowda P.H., Sandesh H.S., Gunnaiah R., Asha V. N., Ningaraju T. M., Deepak N. (2009) Production and Characterization of Hepatitis B Recombinant Vaccine in Tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum cv. ‘Kanchan’) Trans. Pl. J. 3, 97-101.
• 33. Gunnaiah R., Kumarswamy G.K., Ramya, B., Sandesh, H.S., Yogendra, K.N. , Ramanjinj Gowda P.H. (2009) Direct Multiple Shoot Regeneration of Indica Rice (Oryza sativa) variety Rasi. Asian and Australasian J. Pl. Sci. Biotech. 4/1, 71-73

• Co-organizing secretary, All India Agri-Start-up Convention, Nov 18-20, 2022, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, India
• Course Coordinator, 30 days vocational course on “Use of drones in Agriculture/Horticulture” Sept 05-Oct 04, 2022
• Course Director, ICAR sponsored "Hands-on Training-cum-workshop in Basic Molecular Biology Techniques-Module-1: Genetic Structure, Genotyping, Genetic Diversity and Gene Expression" from 9th -18th November 2021.
• Associate Course coordinator: ICAR sponsored Centre for Advanced Faculty Training programme on “Comparative Genomics of Horticulture Plant Genetic Resources: Methods and Applications, 1-21 August 2018, organized by College of Horticulture, Bangalore
• Joint Secretary: Workshop on “Prospects of Horticulture Seed Industry”, 30th April 2018, organized by University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot and Indo-American Hybrid Seeds (India) Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore
• Co-organizer: Guidelines for access to Biological Resources under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 dated 27th March 2016, College of Horticulture, Bagalkot, sponsored by KBITS, Govt. of Karnataka
• Co-convenor, Training programme on “Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Right Act-2001 on 06/02/2016 sponsored by PPVFRA, New Delhi

• Travel grants (2023) by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Agricultural Higher Education Project (ICAR-NAHEP) for Visiting Scientists at IPSP-NRC, Bari, Italy.
• Travel grants (2019) by Prem Nath Agricultural Science Foundation, Bangalore, to attend the South East Asia Vegetable Symposium at Melaka, Malaysia
• Graduate assistantship (2013), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), CANADA
• PhD scholarship, 2013 Reseau Innovagrains, Quebec, Canada
• ICAR-International fellow (2010-2012), Indian Council of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, INDIA
• Schulich graduate fellowship (2010), McGill University, CANADA
• Provost Fellowship (2010), McGill University, CANADA
• Graduate merit scholarship (2005-2007), University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, INDIA

• 3-Biotech
• Current Microbiology
• Frontiers in Plant Science
• Journal of Proteomics
• BMC Plant Biology
• Canadian Journal of Plant Science
• Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection
• Journal of Plant Science
• Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants
• Spanish Journal of Agricultural Sciences

• Genome Editing Technologies in Crops Oct 2024
• Nanotechnological Methods in Pest and Disease Management Feb 2024
• Bioinformatics Workshop on - Proteins: Sequence, Structure & Function Jul 2024
• Genome Informatics Jun 2023
• Plant Genomics and Bioinformatics Mar 2022
• Bioinformatics methods-I, Bioinformatics Methods-II, Plant Bioinformatics Jul 2020
• Next Generation Sequencing and its Application in Crop Sciences Dec 2017
• Next generation sequencing technologies for crop improvement Dec 2014
• Phenotyping strategies and marker-assisted breeding for biotic and abiotic stress resistance Aug 2009
• International Training cum workshop on Marker Assisted Selection Aug 2008

• Harnessing Genome Editing Transform Susceptible Cropsinto Resistant Varieties Against Xanthomonas, Training Programme on Genome Editing Tools / Techniques for Agricultural Research, 9-14 Dec, 2024
• Online Training Programme on “Farmers Producer Organisation: Concepts, Compliances, Issues, Business Opportunities and Challenges, from 26/05/2023 COH, Bangalore Plant tissue culture as an enterprise for FPOs
• Hands-on Training on “Omics and Systems Biology” 17-22 July 2023 UAS, Bangalore Metabolomics: Illuminating the Path to Functional Genomics and Crop Improvement Training Programme on “Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship Development”, from 24th July to 28th July 2023, 26/07/2023 COH, Bangalore Tissue Culture as a remunerative enterprise for Women
• Advances in green synthesis of nanoparticles: methods and experimental approaches (07 Nov 2022). ICAR-CAFT programme on “Recent Advances in Nano Science and Technology: Methods and Applications in Horticulture, 3-12 Nov 2022, College of Horticulture, Bengaluru
• Flower colour modification by RNA interference-mediated gene silencing. ICAR-CAFT programme on “Advances in Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources in Major Flower and Ornamental Plants” at College of Horticulture, Bangalore 04/12/2019
• Plant Tissue Culture, its applications in Agriculture and Pharma, B.V.V.S. Akkamahadevi Women's Arts, Science and Commerce College. Bagalkot
• Drafting Agri-Business Management Project proposal on Establishing Tissue Culture Laboratory and Hi-Tech Tissue culture nursery, Agri Clinic and Agri Business Training sponsored by MANAGE, Hyderabad. 6/12/2019
• Plant Tissue Culture as an enterprise and Lab visit for the entrepreneurs of Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI) 01/03/2020. UHS, Bagalkot
• Development of molecular markers linked to gynoecy in bitter gourd, 09th July 2018, Bayer Seeds Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore
• Application of Biotechnology tools and exploitation of Genomic resources in conservation and utilization in vegetable Crops on 18/01/2018 during ICAR sponsored CAFT training programme on Exploitation and Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources in Major, Minor and Underexploited Vegetables, 03-23 Jan 2018
• Experimental approaches in genotyping by sequencing on 14/07/2017 at 21 Days ICAR-CAFT training on Experimental approaches in Utilization of Genomics resources for the improvement of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture, Bangalore
• Mining of EST resources to discover gene based SSR markers-Bioinformatics pipeline discovery and annotation on 20/07/2017 at 21 Days ICAR-CAFT training on Experimental approaches in Utilization of Genomics resources for the improvement of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture, Bangalore
• In silico approaches in SNP detection and targeting on 22/07/2017 at 21 Days ICAR-CAFT training on Experimental approaches in Utilization of Genomics resources for the improvement of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture, Bangalore
• Plant tissue culture as an enterprise on 22-11-2016 at Winter School “Entrepreneurship Development for Farmers’ Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihood” held from 8-28th November 2016 at Udyanagiri Campus, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot
• Practical utility of DNA markers for genetic purity analysis of seeds on 14-07-2016 at ICAR sponsored Summer School entitled ‘Exploring Genomic Resources for the improvement of Horticultural Crops’ organized from 1-21st July 2016 at the College of Horticulture, Bengaluru.
• Metabolomics of biotic stress resistance in crop plants on 14-07-2016 at ICAR sponsored Summer School entitled ‘Exploring Genomic Resources for the improvement of Horticultural Crops’ organized from 1-21st July 2016 at the College of Horticulture, Bengaluru.
• Proteo-metabolomics for identification QTL candidate genes in plants on August 30, 2013 National seminar on “Innovative Biotechnology and Nanotechnology” Bangalore, India

• Books
• Swamy, K.R.M., Prem Nath, Reddy, P., Dutta, O. P., Prabhakar, B. S., Gaddagimath, P. B., Shet, R. M., and Gunnaiah, R., 2021 Culinary melons of South India, Westville publishing house New Delhi, ISBN-9789391917029
• Book chapters: 19
• Papers presented in national and international conferences: 15

Plant Bioinformatics

PhD: 03

M. Sc.: 07