S (Sharath) Malleshaiah

My research explores how plants integrate environmental and endogenous signals to regulate flowering time and developmental transitions. A central focus is photoperiodism and the regulation of flowering by light, temperature, and metabolic signalling, particularly trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P). I combine plant developmental physiology, photobiology, molecular biology, and genomics to understand the signalling networks that control developmental transitions.

My research is centred on horticultural crops, particularly ornamental species, with a strong interest in short-day plants such as chrysanthemum, cannabis, pericallis, potato, artemisia, cosmos, and dahlia. By linking fundamental mechanisms of flowering and environmental signalling with speed breeding and crop improvement, my work aims to enhance crop resilience, breeding efficiency and productivity.

A major area of interest is controlled-environment horticulture and vertical farming, where precise manipulation of light, temperature, photoperiod, and other environmental factors can be used to regulate plant growth, flowering, and crop development while enabling more efficient and sustainable production systems.

My research interests also extend to plant bioacoustics and ultrasonic emissions, particularly their potential as non-invasive indicators of plant physiological status and environmental responses. This emerging area offers opportunities to connect plant physiology with novel approaches to crop monitoring, sensing, and precision horticulture.

Photoperiodism & Flowering ? Environmental/Metabolic Signalling ? Developmental Physiology ? Crop Improvement ? Controlled Environments ? Emerging Plant Bioacoustics