Job Summary:
The Assistant Scientist / Research Assistant – Plant Pathology will support R&D activities through laboratory, polyhouse, and field-based research. The role involves plant disease resistance screening, pathogen isolation and maintenance, disease diagnosis, and providing technical support to breeding and crop improvement programs.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collect and process samples of fungal, bacterial, viral pathogens, and insect vectors for disease diagnosis and research.
- Prepare, sterilize, and maintain culture media for pathogen isolation, purification, multiplication, and preservation.
- Isolate, identify, and maintain plant pathogens using standard phytopathological techniques.
- Conduct pathogenicity tests and maintain pathogen cultures with proper documentation.
- Screen breeding lines, germplasm, and crop entries for resistance against fungal, bacterial, viral, and obligate parasitic pathogens under artificial and natural disease conditions.
- Perform virus mechanical sap inoculation for disease establishment and resistance evaluation.
- Execute disease resistance screening trials in laboratory, polyhouse, and field environments.
- Diagnose plant diseases and provide technical support for disease management in breeding and crop production programs.
- Maintain laboratory records, pathogen inventories, experimental data, and reports with proper documentation and culture coding.
- Maintain laboratory equipment and ensure adherence to quality and biosafety standards.
- Travel within the state to support field and polyhouse trials, pathogen collection, disease surveillance, and resistance screening activities.
