Dheeraj Rathore

Research Officer – Tree Improvement

Research Interests

Investigating conventional and molecular breeding techniques to improve broadleaved tree genotypes that are productive and resilient to diseases and pests, and adapted for a changing climate.

Other areas of interest include innovative and novel technologies, genetic improvement, genetic diversity and bio-stimulants to assist tree improvement programmes.

Current Projects

AshforFuture - Breeding Fraxinus excelsior (Common or European ash) for dieback disease tolerance to conserve and re-establish ash on the island of Ireland (DAFM and DAERA funding)
BroadGen Project - Studying the genetic diversity and resilience of commercially important broadleaved tree species in Ireland
BIOTA – PGPR characterization and analysis
ExAl Project - Exploring the microbiome of alder trees and its associated rhizosphere to identify potential bio-agents and improve disease tolerance against the root rot pathogen Phytophthora alni.
ElmAsh Research Project - Investigating rapid multiplication techniques and the microbiome of Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), along with the genetic conservation of Wych elm (Ulmus glabra) to breed disease-resistant genotypes.
Report a healthy ash tree

Past Projects

Best4Soil - Boosting 4 BEST practices for SOIL health in Europe (EU Horizon2020 funding; more details on www.best4soil.eu/)
CoSTM - Controlling Septoria tritici blotch through crop management (DAFM RSF funding)
WheatENHANCE - Breeding of wheat in order to enhance yield and disease resistance by deploying mutation of the BRI1 brassinosteroid receptor gene (DAFM RSF funding)
Enhancing the utility of Ensifer adhaerens OV14 as a vector for plant improvement (Teagasc funding)

Education

BSc – Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, India
MSc – Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement, John Innes Centre & University of East Anglia, UK
PhD – Biological & Environmental Science, University College Dublin & Teagasc (Oak Park)

Professional Membership

International Union of Forest Research Organisations
International Association for Plant Biotechnology (IAPB)

Fuller, E., and Rathore, D.S. (2022) Why should we study microbiomes in forestry? [Online]. Teagasc Daily.

Rathore R, Vakharia DN, and Rathore DS (2020). In vitro screening of different Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates to study lytic enzyme production and growth inhibition during antagonism of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini, wilt causing pathogen of cumin. Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control, 30, 1-8.

Hehir JG, Benbow HR, Rathore DS, and Mullins E (2020). Improvements in Genomic Technologies: Applications to Crop Research. In: Cifuentes, A. (Ed.), Comprehensive Foodomics, vol. 1. Elsevier, pp. 113–126.

Rathore DS and Mullins E (2018). Alternative Non‐Agrobacterium Based Methods for Plant Transformation. In Annual Plant Reviews online, J. A. Roberts (Ed.). doi:10.1002/9781119312994.apr0659

Rathore DS, Zuniga-Sotto E, and Mullins E (2018) Ensifer-Mediated Transformation (EMT) of rice (monocot) and oilseed rape (dicot). In Barone P, editor. Transgenic Plants: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, Springer, Humana Press Inc. New York, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8778-8_3

Rathore DS, Doohan FM and Mullins E (2017). Ensifer-mediated Arabidopsis thaliana Root Transformation (E-ART): A Protocol to Analyse the Factors that Support Ensifer-mediated Transformation (EMT) of Plant Cells. Bio-protocol 7(19): e2564. doi: 10.21769/BioProtoc.2564.

Rathore DS and Mullins E (2017) Ensifer-mediated transformation (EMT): a novel technology platform for the generation of transgenic plants. In Spoel S, editor. The Wheat Issue, GARNish, GARNet for the Arabidopsis and wider Plant Science community, UK, page 30-31.

Rathore DS, Doohan F and Mullins E (2016). “Capability of the plant-associated bacterium, Ensifer adhaerens strain OV14, to genetically transform its original host Brassica napus.” Plant cell, Tissue and Organ Culture: Journal of Plant Biotechnology. doi:10.1007/s11240-016-1032-3

Rathore DS, Lopez-Vernaza MA, Doohan F, Connell DO, Lloyd A and Mullins E (2015). “Profiling antibiotic resistance and electrotransformation potential of Ensifer adhaerens OV14; a non-Agrobacterium species capable of efficient rates of plant transformation.” FEMS Microbiology Letters, 362 (17): fnv126. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnv126

Oral Presentations (*All oral presentations were delivered by Rathore DS as first author)

The 14th Malaysia International Genetics Congress (Migc14), Virtual conference, 15-17 March 2021. Presentation title: Ensifer mediated transformation (EMT) technology for plant genetic improvement. (Invited lead speaker)

Strasburger workshop: Diversity of chemical and molecular signaling networks in plant-microbe interactions 2020, Königswinter, Germany. Presentation title: Studying the effect of foliar application of fungicide and micronutrients on Septoria tritici blotch and microbial diversity of wheat. (Invited)

Teagasc Horticulture Research Seminar Series 2019. Presentation title: Best4Soil – Developing a decision support tool to guide crop rotation in Europe.

Flash presentation: Enhancing the utility of Ensifer-mediated transformation (EMT) technology. International Association for Plant Biotechnology Congress 2018. (Invited)

Workshop – “Synthetic Biology” at Plant and Animal Genome XXV Conference 2017, San Diego, USA. Presentation title: Enhancing the utility of plant associated bacterium; Ensifer adhaerens Strain OV14, as a vector for plant transformation. (Invited)

Annual Walsh Fellowships Seminar 2015, The Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland. Presentation title: Developing the commercial and strategic potential of Ensifer-mediated transformation (EMT) – a technology platform for synthesising novel crop varieties.

School of Biology and Environmental Science Post-graduate Seminar 2015, UCD, Dublin, Ireland. Presentation title: Expanding the versatility of Ensifer-mediated transformation (EMT) – a novel technology for the genetic transformation of plant genomes.

The Plant Biology Europe FESPB/EPSO Congress 2014, Dublin, Ireland. Presentation title: Synthesising novel crops using Ensifer-mediated transformation: a technology platform with the potential to contribute positively to global food security.

The Plant Transformation Technology III conference, Vienna, Austria. Presentation title: Expanding the versatility of Ensifer-mediated transformation; a novel method for the genetic transformation of plant genome.

Poster Presentations

Rathore DS, Dooley H, Glynn L, Doyle D and Kildea S (2020). “Investigating the impact of foliar application on micronutrients on Septoria tritici blotch (STB) of wheat under Irish agronomic conditions”, National Tillage Conference.

Rathore DS, Govindan AK, Zuniga-Sotto E, Doohan F and Mullins E (2019). “Expanding the utility of Ensifer-Mediated Transformation (EMT) technology for crop genetic improvement”, New Phytologist next generation scientists.

Rathore DS, Michel V, Molendjik L, and Gaffney MT (2019). “BEST4SOIL: Developing a decision support tool to guide crop rotation”, Irish Plant Scientists’ Association Meeting.

Rathore DS, Govindan AK, Zuniga-Sotto E, Gelvin SB, Lapham R, David Fitzpatrick D, Doohan F, and Mullins E (2019). “Deciphering the genetic phenomenon that successfully drives the Ensifer-Mediated Transformation (EMT) technology for crop improvement”, Irish Plant Scientists’ Association Meeting.

Rathore DS, Dooley H, Byrne S, Rathore R, Doyle D, Cotter PD, and Steven Kildea (2019). “Studying the impact of fungicides and micronutrients on Septoria tritici blotch of wheat and its associated phylloplane microbiome”, Irish Plant Scientists’ Association Meeting.

Rathore DS, Dooley H, Doyle D and Kildea S (2019). “Controlling Septoria tritici blotch (STB) in wheat through micronutrient management and fungicide applications”, National Tillage Conference.

Rathore DS, Dooley H and Kildea S (2018). “Towards understanding the impact of fungicides and micronutrients on Septoria tritici blotch and wheat phylloplane microbiome”. Society of Irish Plant Pathologists.

Rathore DS, Dooley H and Kildea S (2018). “Investigating the impact of fungicides and micronutrients on Septoria tritici blotch and associated wheat phylloplane microbiome”. Focused Meeting 2018: Microbiomes Underpinning Agriculture.

Rathore DS, Hehir G, Thapa G, Doohan F, Wendt T and Mullins E (2017). “Disease assessment of brassinosteroid (BR)-insensitive 1 (BRI1) mutant lines of barley under Irish agronomic conditions and phenotyping of BRI1 wheat TILLING lines”. PAGXXV conference 2017, San Diego, USA.

Rathore DS, Doohan F, Wendt T and Mullins E (2017). “Enhancing the utility of plant-associated bacterium; Ensifer adhaerens OV14, as a vector for plant transformation”. PAGXXV conference 2017, San Diego, USA. Page 5 of 5

Mullins E, Rudder S, Doohan F, Creevy C, Wendt T, and Rathore DS (2014). “Ensifer-mediated transformation: Elucidating the genetics underpinning this non-Agrobacterium method of T-DNA transfer”. Plant Transformation Technologies III, Vienna, Austria.

Rathore DS, Doohan F, Wendt T and Mullins E (2012). “Developing Ensifer-mediated transformation as a robust platform for genetic manipulation of crop species”. British Society of Plant Pathology Presidential Meeting-2012, Norwich, UK.

Rathore DS, Doohan F and Mullins E (2012). “Expanding our knowledge of Ensifer adhaerens OV14”. Best poster award, Irish Plant Scientist Association Meeting-2012, Dublin, Ireland.