Dr (Mrs) Parveen Chhuneja has been working for more than 20 years on broadening wheat gene pool through wide hybridization and introgression of traits of high economic importance. She has mapped these alien genes to develop molecular markers for use in the wheat breeding programme.
Dr Chhuneja along with her team has introgressed 27 disease resistance genes and a number of genes for quality traits and heat tolerance from wild wheat species to cultivated wheat. Five of the rust resistance genes Lr57, Lr58, Lr76, Yr40 and Yr70 have been designated and included in the international wheat gene catalogue.
She has made significant contributions towards the development of seven wheat varieties, four of which have been released at the national level. Three wheat varieties PBW723, PBW771 and PBW1chapati carry the alien genes introgressed from wild species by her. Eighteen interspecific genetic stocks developed by her have been registered by ICAR Germplasm Registration Committee.
Dr Chhuneja has published 120 research papers in high impact national and international journals including three in ‘Science’. She has successfully carried out seven International and 12 national research projects. Dr Chhuneja has also been awarded Panjabrao Deshmeukh Outstanding Women Scientist Award by ICAR in 2018 and Dr Gudev Singh Distinguished Professor Award by PAU, Ludhiana. Her contributions in molecular breeding particularly in genomics, introgression and mapping of alien genes and in training new generation of young researchers in applied genomics are noteworthy.
Society for Advancement of Wheat and Barley Research, recognizing her contributions, confers upon Dr (Mrs) Parveen Chhuneja, the prestigious Dr S. Rajaram Outstanding Woman Scientist Award.