Research Projects

stress priming is a sustainable method for enhancing plant stress tolerance. Thermopriming (TP) exposure to sublethal heat stress (Hs) imparts tolerance to subsequent lethal Hs through priming-mediated Hs memory (HsM). HsM regulation relies on heat shock proteins (HsPs), which are degraded by Hs, affecting plant growth and survival. TP dynamically regulates the autophagy response, aiding in Hs tolerance. Hs-induced autophagy generates proteogenic dipeptides (DPs), which can regulate plant development and stress responses. This project aims to study the role of DPs in regulating priming-mediated sM in rice using the PROMIs method. Time-course analysis and comparative profiling of thermoprimed vs unprimed seedlings under Hs will help identify priming-specific DPs with potential to trigger HsM. Functional characterization of novel DPs can aid in developing growth and stress regulators for crop improvement.