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Vijay Tiwari

Assistant Professor


Assistant Professor

Plant Science & Landscape Architecture 2102 Plant Sciences Building 4291 Fieldhouse Drive College Park, Maryland 20742
301 405-6244

RESEARCH FOCUS

  • Genetics and genomics of small grain crops with emphasis on wheat, rye and barley.
  • Integrating genomic tools and germplasm development to achieve the goals of sustainable agriculture.
  • Identification of novel genes and alleles against abiotic and biotic stresses is a key step to perform genetic improvement of crop plants.
  • Identification, transfer, and isolation of important genes and alleles playing vital role against abiotic and biotic stresses in small grain crops
  • Molecular understanding of yield and yield contributing factors in bread wheat

Biography

Biography: 

Research of my group is focused on genetics and genomics of small grain crops with emphasis on wheat, rye and barley. We are integrating genomic tools and germplasm development to achieve the goals of sustainable agriculture. Identification of novel genes and alleles against abiotic and biotic stresses is a key step to perform genetic improvement of crop plants. We are focused on identification, transfer, and isolation of important genes and alleles playing vital role against abiotic and biotic stresses in small grain crops.

Another important aspect of my research is focused on molecular understanding of yield and yield contributing factors in bread wheat. We have identified some key genes playing important role in spike morphology and grain number per spikelet. Mechanistic studies on these key candidate genes to have a better understanding of these traits are being performed.

Education: 

PhD (2009): Plant Biotechnology,   Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India      

Awards and Honors:

2014 IWGSC Early Career Award International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium at ITMI 2014, Germany
2012 IWGSC Early Career Award International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, at PAG 2012, USA

 

Research

Areas of Interest: 

Genetics and genomics of small grain crops

Publications

Selected Publications: 

  1. Rawat N, Pumphrey MO, Liu Sixin, Zhang X, Tiwari VK, Kaori A, Trick HN, Bockus WW, Akhunov E, Anderson JA and Gill BS (2016) Wheat Fhb1 encodes a chimeric lectin with agglutinin domains and a pore-forming toxin-like domain conferring resistance to Fusarium head blight. Nature Genetics doi:10.1038/ng.3706

  2. Tiwari VK, Heesacker A, Riera-Lizarazu O, Gunn H, Wang S, Wang Y, Gu YQ, Paux E, Koo DH, Kumar A, Luo MC, Zemetra R, Akhunov E, Friebe B, Poland J, Gill BS, Kianian SF and Leonard JM (2016). Whole Genome RH mapping resource to aid reference sequencing of hexaploid wheat. The Plant J 86:195-207

  3. Yi Wang, Tiwari VK, Rawat N, Gill BS, Coleman D and Gu YQ (2016). GSP: a web-based platform for designing genome-specific primers in polyploid plants. Bioinformatics 32 (15): 2382-2383.

  4. Xie J, Huo N, Zhou S, Wang Y, Guo G, Deal KR, Ouyang Z, Liang Y, Wang Z, Xiao L, Zhu T, Hu T, Tiwari VK, Zhang J, Li H, Ni Z, Yao Y, Peng H, Zhang S, Anderson OD, McGuire PE, Dvorak J, Luo MC, Liu Z, Gu YQ, and Sun Q (2016). Sequencing and comparative analysis of Aegilops tauschii chromosome arm 3DS revealed rapid evolution of Triticeae genomes. J. Genet Genomic(In press)  doi.org/10.1016/j.jgg.2016.09.005.

  5. Koo DH, Tiwari VK, Hřibová E, Doležel J,  Friebe B and  Gill BS (2016). Molecular Cytogenetic Mapping of Satellite DNA Sequences in Aegilops geniculata and Wheat. Cytogenet. Genome Res148: 314-321.

  6. Tiwari VK, Wang S, Danilova T, Koo DH, Vrána J, Kubaláková M, Hribova E, Rawat N, Kalia B, Singh N, Friebe B, Dolezel D, Akhunov E, Poland J, Sabir JM and Gill BS (2015). Exploring the tertiay gene pool of hexaploid wheat: Sequence based analysis of Chromosome 5Mg of Ae. geniculata.  The Plant J 84:733-746.

  7. Kumar A, Seetan R, Mergoum M, Tiwari VK, Iqbal MJ, Wang Y, Azzam O, Simkova H, Luo MC, Dvorak J, Gu YQ, Denton A, Kilian A, Lazo GR and Kianian SF (2015). Radiation hybrid maps of Aegilops tauschii to facilitate its genome assembly. BMC Genomics 16:800.

  8. Yi Wang*, Tiwari VK*, Drader T*, Lingli Dong L, Kumar A, Huo N, Ghavami F, Iqbal MJ, Lazo GR, Leonard JM, Gill BS, Kianian SF, Luo MC, and Gu YQ  (2015). A D-genome marker resource for diploid and hexaploid wheat. BMC Genomics 16:646. (*shared first authorship)

  9. Tiwari VK, Wang S, Sehgal S, Vrána J,Friebe B, Kubaláková M, Chunneja P,  Doležel J, Akhunov E, Kalia B, Sabir J and Gill BS (2014) SNP Discovery for mapping alien introgressions in wheat. BMC Genomics 15:273.

  10. Salunke R, Rawat N, Kumari N, Tiwari VK, Randhawa GS, Dhaliwal HS, Roy P (2014). Effect of grain hardness on bioavailability of iron in wheat as determined using the coupled invitro digestion/Caco-2 model.  LWT - Food Science Technol 59-1 (433-438).

  11. Fox SE, Geniza M, Hanumappa M, Naithani S, Sullivan C, Preece J, Tiwari VK, Elser J, Leonard JM, Sage A, Gresham C, Kerhornou A, Bolser D, McCarthy, Kersey P, Lazo GR, and Jaiswal P (2014). De Novo transcriptome assembly and analyses of gene expression during photomorphogenesis in diploid wheat Triticum monococcum. PLoS ONE 9:e96855.

  12. Rawat N, Neelam K, Tiwari VK and Dhaliwal HS (2013) Biofortification of cereals to overcome hidden hunger. Plant Breed 132:437-445.

  13. Neelam K, Tiwari VK*, Rawat N, Gandhi N, Arun PC, Kumar S, Randhawa GS and Dhaliwal HS (2013) Development and molecular characterization of wheat- Aegilops longissima derivatives with high grain micronutrients. Aust J Crop Sci 7:508-514 (*Corresponding author).

  14. Tiwari VK, Riera-Lizarazu O, Lopez K, Gunn H, Kianian SF and Leonard JM (2012) Endosperm tolerance of paternal aneuploidy allows radiation hybrid mapping of the wheat D-genome and a unique measure of gamma ray induced chromosome breaks. PLoS ONE7(11): e48815.

  15. Kumar A, Bassi FM, Paux E, Al-Azzam O, de Jimenez MM, Denton AM, Gu YQ, Huttner E, Kilian A, Kumar S, Goyal A, Iqbal MJ, Tiwari VK,  Dogramaci M,  Balyan HS, Dhaliwal HS, Gupta PK, Randhawa GS, Feuillet C, Pawlowski WP and Kianian SF (2012). DNA repair and crossing over favor similar chromosome regions as discovered in radiation hybrid of Triticum. BMC Genomics 13:339.

  16. Salunke R, Rawat N, Shah A, Neelam K, Tiwari VK, Dhaliwal HS and Roy. P (2012). Zinc Bioavailability from biofortified wheat using a novel reporter gene based coupled in-vitro digestion/caco-2 model. J Food Compos Anal 25:149-159.

  17. Neelam K, Rawat N, Tiwari VK, Prasad R, Tripathi SK, Randhawa GS and Dhaliwal HS (2012) Evaluation and identification of wheat-Aegilops addition lines controlling high grain iron and zinc concentration and mugineic acid production. Cereal Res Commun 40:53-61.

  18. Neelam K*, Rawat N*, Tiwari VK*, Kumar S, Chunneja P, Singh Kuldeep and Dhaliwal HS (2011). Introgression of group 4 and 7 chromosomes of Ae. peregrina in wheat enhances grain iron and zinc density. Mol Breeding 28:623-34. (*Contributed equally).

  19. Rawat N, Neelam K, Tiwari VK, Randhawa GS, Friebe B, Gill BS and Dhaliwal HS (2011). Development and molecular characterization of wheat-Aegilops kotschyi addition and substitution lines with high grain protein iron and zinc. Genome 54:943-953.

  20. Salunke R, Neelam K, Rawat N, Tiwari VK, Dhaliwal HS and Roy P (2011) Bioavailability of Iron from Wheat-Aegilops derivatives selected for high grain iron and protein content. J Agric Food Chem 59:7465-7473.

  21. Tiwari VK, Rawat N, Neelam K, Kumar S, Randhawa GS and Dhaliwal HS (2010) Substitution of 2S and 7U chromosomes of Aegilops kotschyi in wheat enhances grain iron and zinc concentration. Theor Appl Genet 121:259-269.

  22. Riera-Lizarazu O, Leonard JM, Tiwari VK and Kianian SF (2010) A method to produce radiation hybrids for the D- genome chromosomes of wheat. Cytogenet Genome Res 129:234-240.

  23. Neelam K, Rawat N, Tiwari VK, Tripathi SK, Randhawa GS and Dhaliwal HS (2010).  Identification of Aegilops species with higher production of phytosiderophores and iron and zinc uptake under micronutrient sufficient and deficient conditions. Plant Genet Resour: Charac Utiliz 8 (2):132-141.

  24. Tiwari VK, Rawat N, Neelam K, Malik S, Randhawa GS and Dhaliwal HS (2010). Random chromosome elimination in synthetic wheat- Aegilops amphiploids leads to development of a stable partial amphiploid with high grain micro and macronutrient content and powdery mildew resistance. Genome 53:1053-1065.

  25. Tiwari VK, Rawat N, Chhuneja P, Neelam K, Aggarwal R, Randhawa GS, Dhaliwal HS, Keller B, and Singh K (2009). Mapping of quantitative trait loci for grain iron and zinc concentration in A genome diploid Wheat. J Hered 100:771-776.

  26. Rawat N, Tiwari VK, Neelam K, Randhawa GS, Chunneja P, Singh Kuldeep and Dhaliwal HS (2009). Development and characterization of wheat-Aegilops kotschyi amphiploids with high grain iron and zinc. Plant Genet Resour: Charac Utiliz 7:271-280.

  27. Tiwari VK, Rawat N, Neelam K, Randhawa GS, Singh K, Chunneja P and Dhaliwal HS (2008). Development of Triticum turgidum ssp durum-Aegilops longissima amphiploids with high iron and zinc content through unreduced gamete formation in F1 hybrids. Genome51:757-766.

  28. Rawat N*, Tiwari VK*, Singh N, Randhawa GS, Singh K, Chhuneja P and Dhaliwal HS. (2008). Evaluation and utilization of Aegilops and wild Triticum species for enhancing iron and zinc content in wheat. Genet Resour Crop Evol 56:53-64. (*Shared first authorship).