Research statement

Improvement of commercially important traits in plants through breeding, genetics and biotechnological innovations have overwhelmingly focused on the aboveground parts of plants. However, some of the critical challenges in agriculture and environment can be addressed through investigation and genetic modification of plant roots. Medicine and colonization beyond earth can also benefit from root research. Some of the pertinent questions related to root biology are - How can we address salt and drought stress in plants? Can we utilize phytoremediation as a realistic option to detoxify pollutants in a large scale? Can we utilize the interactome of root-microbe interaction in rhizosphere for drug discovery? Can we modify roots to support plant growth in Martian and lunar soil? I am investigating the abovementioned problems using in vitro grown Brassica seedlings as a model with plans for scale up using hydroponics, aeroponics, pot experiments and field trials. My research utilizes a combination of several bioanalytical, microscopic, and molecular techniques. To summarize, my research may impact how we grow food, manage environment and seek new vistas in health sciences and space biology.

When I am not doing research/teaching, I like to to cook, try different cuisine and explore nature.

Selected publications

• Sinha, N., Rushing, B. R., Acharya, A., & Ganapathi Shanmugam, S. (2024). Effect of Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems on Soil Properties and Microbial Diversity in Soybean Production. Applied Biosciences, 3(4), 484-502. 

• Acharya, A. (2024). DELLA proteins and CBL-CIPK signaling pathway are emerging players in plant biotechnology. Theoretical and Experimental Plant Physiology, 1-9. 

• Acharya, A., & Pesacreta, T. C. (2023). P-ring: The conserved nature of phosphorus enriched cells in seedling roots of distantly related species. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 18(1), 2217389. 

• Obeidat, S., Ma, J., Himelstein, S., & Acharya, A. (2022, October). The Impact of the Printed Part Geometry on the Shrinkage and Relative Density in Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing of Ceramics Powder. In ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (Vol. 86632, p. V02AT02A026). American Society of Mechanical Engineers. 

• Acharya, A., & Pesacreta, T. C. (2022). Localization of seed-derived and externally supplied nutrients in peanut seedling root. Theoretical and Experimental Plant Physiology, 1-15. 

• Pesacreta, T. C., Acharya, A., & Hasenstein, K. H. (2021). Endogenous nutrients are concentrated in specific tissues in the Zea mays seedling. Protoplasma, 258, 863-878. 

• Wang, Y. H., Acharya, A., Burrell, A. M., Klein, R. R., Klein, P. E., & Hasenstein, K. H. (2013). Mapping and candidate genes associated with saccharification yield in sorghum. Genome, 56(11), 659-665.