Dr. Ravinder K. Goyal, Ph.D.

Research Scientist

As a Pulse Crop Physiologist, I strive to bring improvement in pulse crops for their resiliency to the environmental changes. Canadian agriculture is facing challenges of water scarcity or drought, which are likely to become more frequent and acute in future with changing weather patterns. I would like to understand physiology of pulses under simulated drought conditions and low water availability. In partnership with breeders and geneticists the knowledge will be used to develop crops that are more efficient in water conservation. Standability or lodging in field pea negatively impacts yield, quality and economics of crop harvest. I would like to study the physiological and molecular aspects for better understanding of the phenomenon. In addition, I have interest in improving the understanding on plant-pathogen interaction for the ultimate aim of protecting pulse crops from imminent pathogens.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Lacombe Research and Development Centre, Lacombe, Alberta

Current research and/or projects

1. Physiology and molecular biology of pea stem lodging resistance

2. Development of suitable markers to aid breeding of field pea

3. Impact of pathogen-rhizobium interaction on nodulation and establishment of root rot and associated defense responses in pea

Professional activities / interests

1. Editorial duty: I review manuscripts for some of the high impact journals

2. Training to students: Trained several students for plant physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology laboratory skills 

3. Mentoring: Mentored high school students for science fairs

4. Lectures: Delivere lectures to the students in universities

Education and awards

Education

Degrees

Ph.D. Biochemistry, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, PB, India

M.Sc. Biochemistry, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, HR, India

B.Sc. Biological Sciences, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, HR, India

Diploma

Canadian Food Regulations, Michigan State University, MI, USA

Awards

  1. First prize in oral presentation, MAP kinases and defense signaling for disease resistance in wheat. 36th Annual Meeting of the Plant Pathology Society of Alberta. Lethbridge AB, Canada, November 16-18, 2015.
  2. Awarded 1st prize in poster presentation, ‘Expression of an antimicrobial peptide in transgenic potato plants enhances innate immunity and modulates the hypersensitive response’. AFMNet Second Annual Scientific Conference, Calgary, CANADA, April 30th - May 2nd, 2006
  3. Awarded a prestigious ‘Biotechnology Overseas Fellowship’ by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India in June 2000

International experience and/or work

1. Worked as Assistant Professor, Plant Biochemistry, at University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, India for over a decade

2. Worked for Indian Council of Agricultural Research as Senior Scientist (Biotechnology)

3. Visting Fellow at USDA-Beltsville Agriculture Research Centre, MD, USA

4. Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Maryland, MD, USA

5. Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Victoria, BC, Canada

Key publications

  1. Habtewold, JZ and Goyal, RK. The plant-rhizobial symbiotic interactions provide benefits to the host beyond nitrogen fixation that promote plant growth and productivity. In: Everlon Rigobelo, Editor. Symbiosis in Nature. InTech Open Access; 2023. Pages 1-25

    2023 - View publication details

  2. Shukla, V., Fatima, T., Goyal, R.K., Handa, A.K., Mattoo, A.K. (2020). Engineered ripening-specific accumulation of polyamines spermidine and spermine in tomato fruit upregulates clustered C/D box snoRNA gene transcripts in concert with ribosomal rna biogenesis in the red ripe fruit. Plants, [online] 9(12), 1-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants9121710

    2020 - View publication details

  3. Hannig, A., Chatterton, S., Bing, D.J. and Goyal, R.K. (2020). Effect of antimicrobial peptides on common fungal pathogens and its application in filed pea (Pisum sativum L.). 41st annual workshop of Plant Pathology Society of Alberta, November 4-5, 2020, Lethbridge, AB.

    2020 - View publication details

  4. Foroud, N.A., Pordel, R., Goyal, R.K., Ryabova, D., Eranthodi, A., Chatterton, S., Kovalchuk, I. (2019). Chemical Activation of the Ethylene Signaling Pathway Promotes Fusarium graminearum Resistance in Detached Wheat Heads. Phytopathology, [online] 109(5), 796–803. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-08-18-0286-R

    2019 - View publication details

  5. Eranthodi A, Ryabova D, Goyal RK, Foroud NA. 2016. Pathogenic and phenotypic traits of a Fusarium graminearum strain overexpressing translation elongation factor 1-alpha. National Fusarium Head Blight Forum. St. Louis MO, UNITED STATES, December 4-6, 2016.

    2018 - View publication details

  6. Foroud NA, Goyal RK, Ryabova D, Eranthodi A, González-Peña Fundora D, Pordel P, Pan Y, Kovalchuk I, Chatterton S. 2018. Ethylene-mediated resistance to fusarium head blight of wheat. 2018 Canadian Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting. Québec QC, CANADA, June 18-22, 2018. Published Abstract in the Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology. DOI: 10.1080/07060661.2019.1519163

    2018 - View publication details

  7. The presentation was made to the industry representative under Collaborative Research and Development Agreement. The threats to different aspects of the production system were highlighted. The mitigation strategies of the prominent threats were discussed.

    2018 - View publication details

  8. González-Peña Fundora D, Eranthodi A, Goyal RK, Subramaniam R, Rampitsch C, Thakor N, Foroud NA. 2018. Effects of over-expressing the Mgv1 mitogen-activated protein kinase in Fusarium graminearum. 2018 Canadian Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting. Québec QC, CANADA, June 18-22, 2018. Published Abstract in the Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology. DOI:10.1080/07060661.2019.1519163

    2018 - View publication details

  9. Foroud NA, Yao YT, Goyal RK, Pordel R, Eranthodi A, Ryabova D, Chatterton S, Kovalchuk I. 2018. Exploring the role of ethylene signalling and wheat resistance to Fusarium graminearum. 14th European Fusarium Seminar, Tulln, AUSTRIA, April 8-12, 2018.

    2018 - View publication details

  10. González-Peña Fundora D, Eranthodi A, Goyal RK, Subramaniam R, Rampitsch C, Thakor N, Foroud NA. Over-expression of a Fusarium graminearum mitogen activated protein kinase, Mgv1. National Fusarium Head Blight Forum. Milwaukee WI, UNITED STATES, December 3-5, 2017. Poster Presentation

    2017 - View publication details

  11. Eranthodi A, Subramaniam R, Rampitsch C, González-Peña Fundora D, Shostak K, Goyal RK, Schultz EA, Foroud NA. The role of three small secreted cysteine-rich proteins of Fusarium graminearum on fungal growth and plant infection. National Fusarium Head Blight Forum. Milwaukee WI, UNITED STATES, December 3-5, 2017. Poster Presentation

    2017 - View publication details

  12. Eranthodi A, Subramaniam R, Rampitsch C, González-Peña Fundora D, Goyal RK, Schultz EA, Foroud NA. Characterization of three secreted cysteine-rich proteins from the secretome of Fusarium graminearum. 3rd Lethbridge Research & Development Centre Graduate Symposium. Lethbridge AB, CANADA, November 22, 2017. (Award Winning Presentation) (Oral Presentation)

    2017 - View publication details

  13. Foroud NA, Subramaniam R, Goyal RK, Ryabova D, Pordel R, Eranthodi A, Chatterton S, Kovalchuk I. The effect of ethylene signalling on host-response in the Fusarium graminearum-wheat interaction. Canadian Wheat Alliance Science and Business Meeting. Saskatoon SK, CANADA, November 8-9, 2017. Poster Presentation.

    2017 - View publication details

  14. Pan Y, Li Y, Liu Z, Surendra A, Wang L, Foroud NA, Goyal RK, Ouellet T, Fobert PR. Differential expression feature extraction and its application in wheat RNA-seq data analysis related with FHB. Canadian Wheat Alliance Science and Business Meeting. Saskatoon SK, CANADA, November 8-9, 2017. Poster Presentation.

    2017 - View publication details

  15. Foroud NA, Ryabova D, Goyal RK, Eranthodi A, Pordel P, Yao YT, Kovalchuk I, Chatterton S. Ethylene mediated resistance to Fusarium head blight and seedling blight of wheat. 38th Annual Meeting of the Plant Pathology Society of Alberta. Drumheller AB, Canada, November 6-8, 2017. (Invited Feature Presentation)

    2017 - View publication details

  16. Foroud NA, Goyal RK, Laroche A, Ellis BE, Tulpan D, Liu Z, Pan Y. Plant hormone and MAPK signalling pathways in wheat. Plants from Sea to Sky: 2017 Joint Meeting of the Canadian Society of Plant Biologists and the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science Vancouver. Vancouver BC, Canada, July 4-7, 2017.

    2017 - View publication details

  17. Gonzàlez-Peña Fundora D, Eranthodi A, Goyal RK, R. Subramaniam, Rampitsch C, Thakor N, Foroud NA. Generation and characterization of a Fusarium graminearum mutant overexpressing the MAPK, Mgv1. 2017 Joint Meeting of the Canadian Phytopathological Society and the Canadian Society of Agronomy. Winnipeg MB, Canada, June 18-22, 2017. Award Winning Presentation.

    2017 - View publication details

  18. Pordel P, Ryabova D, Goyal RK, Kovalchuk I, Foroud NA. Investigating the role of ethylene signalling in Fusarium head blight disease response in wheat. 5th Annual Biology Graduate Student Research Symposium, University of Lethbridge, Feb 10, 2017.

    2017 - View publication details

  19. Tulpan, D., Léger, S., Goyal, R.K., Laroche, A., and Foroud, N.A. (2016). "Computational identification of potentially new mitogen-activated protein kinases in cereals via orthology prediction and phylogenetic analysis.", Canadian Wheat Alliance Science and Business Meeting, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, 27-29 June, 2016. (Poster)

    2016 - View publication details

  20. Foroud, N.A., Goyal, R.K., Chomistek, N., Gonzàlez-Peña Fundora, D., West, C., Chiu, J., Hui, L., Frick, M., Laroche, A., Ellis, B.E., and Tulpan, D. (2016). "Identification and analysis of Triticea mitogen-activated protein kinases.", 4th International Symposium on Plant Signaling and Behavior, St. Petersburg, Russia, 19-23 June, 2016. (Poster)

    2016 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Lacombe Research and Development Centre
6000 C and E Trail
Lacombe, AB T4L 1W1
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Biochemistry›Plant
Agriculture›Biotechnology
Agriculture›Physiology›Crop
Plant›Cereals and pulses

Affiliations

  1. Member of Canadian Society of Plant Pathologists

  2. Member of Plant Pathology Society of Alberta

Language

English