National Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Dr. Harbans Singh Bariana
PRAVASI FELLOW, ELECTED 2024

Born at Nangal Ishar, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India on September 7, 1960. Completed B.Sc Agriculture (Honours in Crop Protection) and M.Sc. (Plant Pathology/Plant Breeding) from the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. Obtained Ph.D. Agriculture (Genetics/Plant Pathology) from the University of Sydney, Australia.

Worked for CSIRO, Australia, Agriculture Victoria and the University of Sydney, Australia. The 27 years’ period at the University of Sydney was devoted to breeding for rust resistance in wheat. Currently affiliated with Western Sydney University as Adjunct Professor (School of Science).

Awards/Honours: Professor Bariana discovered more than 20 new rust resistance genes in wheat and developed closely linked DNA markers for their marker assisted selection in breeding programs. His collaborative work on molecular cloning of rust resistance genes in wheat was published in Nature suite of journals. He trained many students and scientists from several countries across the globe including India. These scientists are currently leading research programs either in their own countries or in international research centres. The Australian Cereal Rust Control Program team of which Professor Bariana was a key member won the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative ‘Gene Stewardship Award’.

Professor Bariana co-led two Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and ICAR funded Indo-Australian projects. One project focused on ‘Faster Breeding Technologies for Wheat Improvement in India’ and the other project aimed at ‘Broadening the Genetic Base for Stem Rust Resistance against Ug99’. This collaboration has helped both Indian and Australian researchers to enhance their skills through bilateral exchange visits and sharing of germplasm for development of rust resistant wheat varieties. Outcomes of these projects have helped in mitigating the threat of wheat rusts to food security of both countries.

Professor Bariana served as a member of the ‘Gene-editing Initiative Steering Committee’ and ‘School of Life and Environmental Sciences Work Health & Safety committee’ of the University of Sydney. He also served as Executive Secretary of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society management committee and a member of the ‘Scientific Advisory Committee’ of Grain Biotech, Australia. He represented the University of Sydney in the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program Science Leadership Group. He currently serves on the editorial boards of Indian Phytopathology, Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Australasian Plant Pathology and MDPI Agronomy.

Research Areas: Plant Protection

Address: Adjunct Professor, School of Science, Western Sydney University, 2 Callander Place, Bella Vista, NSW 2153, Australia;; [Tel: Res. 61405327261; Email: harby.bariana@gmail.com; h.bariana@westernsydney.edu.au]