Dr. Sumeet Mankar
Postdoctoral Associate · UNL
🧬 Plant Genomics & Quantitative Genetics

Dr. Sumeet Mankar

Postdoctoral Associate · Schnable Lab
University of Nebraska–Lincoln · Lincoln, NE

I work at the intersection of plant genetics, genomics, and data-driven discovery — applying statistical and computational approaches to understand the genetic architecture of complex traits in crops. My research spans GWAS, QTL mapping, TWAS, eQTL, and sQTL analyses across maize, sorghum, soybean, rice, wheat, hemp, and ryegrass, connecting molecular variation to agronomic outcomes.

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🌱 Background

About Me

Training, research focus, and technical expertise across plant genomics and bioinformatics

Education

  • Ph.D. · Plant Breeding & Genetics
    Texas A&M University
  • M.Phil · Biological Sciences
  • M.Sc · Biotechnology
  • B.Tech · Agricultural Biotechnology
    Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Research Focus

  • Genome-wide association studies (GWAS)
  • Transcriptome-wide association (TWAS, eQTL, sQTL)
  • QTL mapping & genomic prediction
  • Comparative & population genomics
  • Multi-crop trait dissection
  • Bioinformatics pipeline development

Crop Systems

  • Maize & Sorghum
  • Rice & Wheat
  • Soybean
  • Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa)
  • Italian Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)

Academic Path

  • Schnable Lab, Univ. of Nebraska–Lincoln
  • Danforth Plant Science Center
  • International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
  • University of Cambridge
  • Texas A&M University

Statistical Genetics

GWASQTL MappingTWASeQTLsQTLGenomic PredictionMixed Models

Genomics & Bioinformatics

WGS & RNA-seqVariant CallingTranscriptomicsPangenomicsGenome AssemblySingle-Cell Seq

Programming

PythonRBash / LinuxSnakemakeNextflowSQL

Computing & Infrastructure

HPC / SLURMAWSDockerGitLaTeXGoogle Cloud

Experimental

QTL BreedingUAV PhenotypingPlantCVCRISPRMAS

Phenomics

NIR SpectroscopyRoot ImagingDrought PhenotypingSeed MorphologyMicro-CT
🔬 Active Work

Research

Key areas of investigation at the Schnable Lab and across collaborations

🌽
01
GWAS & QTL Mapping in Cereals

Genome-wide association and QTL analyses in maize, sorghum, and rice to identify genomic regions underlying yield, stress tolerance, phenology, and root architecture.

GWAS QTL Maize Sorghum Rice
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02
Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies

TWAS, eQTL, and splicing QTL analyses connecting gene expression variation to complex traits using population-scale RNA-seq from hundreds of genotypes.

TWAS eQTL sQTL RNA-seq
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03
Genomic Prediction & Breeding Analytics

Developing and benchmarking prediction models for agronomic traits, with applications in accelerating crop improvement across diverse germplasm.

Genomic Prediction BLUP ML
🌿
04
Comparative Multi-Crop Genomics

Cross-species genomic analyses spanning soybean, wheat, hemp, and ryegrass to identify conserved regulatory elements and mechanisms of crop adaptation.

Comparative Genomics Pangenomics Hemp
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05
Root & Stress Phenomics

Integrating root imaging, NIR spectroscopy, UAV imaging, and micro-CT with genomic data to dissect drought tolerance and root architecture variation.

Root Architecture Drought NIR
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06
Bioinformatics Pipeline Development

Building reproducible, scalable workflows for variant calling, transcriptomic processing, and multi-omics integration on HPC and cloud platforms.

Snakemake Nextflow HPC AWS
📄 Scholarly Work

Publications

193 citations · h-index 6 · i10-index 5  ·  Google Scholar ↗

2026 · Weed Science
GWAS reveals potential candidate gene(s) associated with markers linked to tiller production, regrowth rate, and seed shattering in Italian ryegrass (Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum)
Maity MBNKS, Adak A, Mankar SP, Rastogi K, ...
2026 · PLOS ONE3 citations
Diversity of root system architecture and root–shoot biomass allocation in industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)
Morales EY, Griffiths M, Mankar SP, Bagnall GC, Dowd TG, Fletcher R, ...
2025 · Crop Science10 citations
Genome‐wide association study for traits related to cold tolerance and recovery during seedling stage in rice
Rastogi K, Mankar SP, Septiningsih EM
2025 · DNA8 citations
Small RNA and epigenetic control of plant immunity
Wagh SG, Patil AM, Patil GB, Mankar SP, Rastogi K, Nishiguchi M
2025 · Current Plant Biology3 citations
CRISPR/Cas9 multiplex genome editing to enhance grain lysine concentration in a US rice cultivar
Rastogi K, Mankar SP, Ibarra O, Molina-Risco M, Faion-Molina M, ...
2025 · PLOS ONE (Correction)
Correction: Environmental Response and Genomic Regions Correlated with Rice Root Growth and Yield under Drought in the OryzaSNP Panel
Wade LJ, Bartolome V, Mauleon R, Vasant VD, Mankar SP, Chelliah M, ...
2024 · Plant Biotechnology Journal
Utilizing Genome Editing to Enhance an Essential Limited Amino Acid in the US Rice Cultivar
Rastogi K, Mankar SP, Molina-Risco M, Faion-Molina M, Thomson M, ...
2024 · Book ChapterCambridge Scholars Publishing · ISBN 978-1-0364-1512-9
Microbes Enhance Climate-Ready Crops for Sustainable Agriculture
Wagh S, Shelake R, Patil A, Mankar SP, Cerveny J
2018 · Current Science19 citations
Genome-wide consistent molecular markers associated with phenology, plant production and root traits in diverse rice (Oryza sativa L.) accessions under drought in rainfed target populations
Deshmukh V, Mankar SP, Muthukumar C, Divahar P, Bharathi A, ...
2015 · PLOS ONE35 citations
Environmental response and genomic regions correlated with rice root growth and yield under drought in the OryzaSNP panel across multiple study systems
Wade LJ, Bartolome V, Mauleon R, Vasant VD, Prabakar SM, Mankar SP, ...
2012 · Molecular Biotechnology53 citations
Mapping QTLs for Plant Phenology and Production Traits Using Indica Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Lines Adapted to Rainfed Environment
Suji KK, Biji KR, Poornima R, Prince KSJ, Amudha K, Kavitha S, Mankar SP, ...
2012 · Field Crops Research55 citations
Evaluation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) near iso-genic lines with root QTLs for plant production and root traits in rainfed target populations of environment
Suji KK, Prince KSJ, Mankhar PS, Kanagaraj P, Poornima R, Amutha K, Mankar SP, ...
2012 · Online J Bioinformatics6 citations
In silico analysis of a consensus QTL for drought resistance in rice
Pradeepa N, Priya PS, Prince KSJ, Kavitha S, Poornima R, Mankar SP, ...
2021 · PhD Thesis · Texas A&M University1 citation
Genome-Wide Association Studies for Dry-Direct-Seeded Rice Traits and Gene Editing to Validate the Genes Underlying Purple Leaf Color in Rice
Mankar SP
2024 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA
Understanding Genetic Basis for Traits Related to Cold Tolerance and Recovery during Seedling Stage in Rice
Rastogi K, Mankar SP, Septiningsih EM
2023 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA
Association Mapping of High-Throughput Phenotyping Root System Architecture and Panicle Traits in Sorghum Association Panel
Mankar SP, Shao MR, Li M, Cho M, Kellogg E, Eveland A, Topp C
2023 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA
Biofortification for Limited Essential Amino Acid in the US Rice Cultivar Using Genome Editing
Rastogi K, Mankar SP, Molina-Risco M, Faion-Molina M, Thomson MJ, ...
2023 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA
Uncovering the Genetic Basis of Low Temperature Stress Tolerance in Rice Seedling Using Association Mapping
Rastogi K, Mankar SP, Septiningsih EM
2022 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA
Phenotypic Comparison of Root System Architecture in Weedy and Cultivated Rice
Mankar SP, Olsen K, Topp C
2022 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA
CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Multiplex Genome Editing to Develop High Lysine in the US Rice Cultivar Presidio
Rastogi K, Ibarra O, Mankar SP, Molina-Risco M, Faion-Molina M, ...
2021 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA
Deciphering the Genetic Basis of Cold Tolerance at Seedling Stage Using Genome Wide Association Panel in Rice
Rastogi K, Mankar SP, Septiningsih EM
2020 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA (Virtual)
CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Multiplex Genome Editing for Purple Rice
Mankar SP, Rastogi K, Ibarra O, Tsakirpaloglou N, Thomson MJ, ...
2019 · ASA/CSSA/SSSA
High-Resolution Genome-Wide Association Study of Yield-Related Traits for Direct-Seeded Rice
Mankar SP, Sandhu N, Cruz MTS, Rastogi K, Kumar A, Septiningsih EM
2019 · Plant & Animal Genome XXVII
Genome-Wide Association Mapping on Nutrient Uptake and Other Related Traits under Direct-Seeded Cultivation Using a Subset of the 3K Rice Diversity Panel
Septiningsih EM, Mankar SP, Sandhu N, Kumar A
🛠️ Open Tools

Tools & Software

Apps and software I have built to support plant science research

📱
iOS
TraitTrack

A free iOS app for collaborative, plot-level field phenotyping. Multi-user projects, conflict-safe sync, BrAPI integration, and real-time progress tracking — built for real field conditions at the Schnable Lab, UNL.

Field Phenotyping iOS BrAPI Free
Download on the App Store
📋 Documents

Curriculum Vitae

🧬

Academic Record

Full record of publications, presentations, awards, teaching, mentoring, and professional service.

Download CV Resume
✉️ Connect

Get In Touch

Open to collaborations, research discussions, and speaking opportunities

Let's Collaborate

I'm always interested in discussing research questions at the intersection of plant genetics, genomics, and data science — whether that's a potential collaboration, a faculty/postdoc opportunity, or just exchanging ideas on quantitative genetics and crop improvement.

Schnable Lab, Dept. of Agronomy & Horticulture
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Lincoln, NE, USA
Available for research discussions and collaborations
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