Uddesh M Sahadeo

Mr. Uddesh M Sahadeo

Plant-Microbe-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, FST, University of the West Indies, Saint Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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4 February 2026 in Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
ALAdana Lutchman
Adana Lutchman
Omar AliOmar Ali
Omar Ali
ABArvinda Bharat
Arvinda Bharat
USUddesh M Sahadeo
Uddesh M Sahadeo
SCSimran Chadee
Simran Chadee
JJjayaraj jayaraman
jayaraj jayaraman

25 August 2026 in BioTech
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
USUddesh M Sahadeo
Uddesh M Sahadeo
Omar AliOmar Ali
Omar Ali
ARAdesh Ramsubhag
Adesh Ramsubhag
CCChristine Carrington
Christine Carrington
AJArianne Brown Jordan
Arianne Brown Jordan
JJjayaraj jayaraman
jayaraj jayaraman
Moruga Hill Rice (MHR) is an African rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.) brought to Trinidad by formerly enslaved African Americans and has been grown for many generations in Trinidad at subsistence and commercial scale. Despite its historical and agricultural significance, genomic resources specific to MHR remain unexplored, and its genetic composition, evolutionary history, and potential agronomic traits have not been characterized. This current study presents the first draft genome assembly of the MHR genome using a hybrid sequencing approach. The MHR genome size was found to be ~372.9 Mb with 56,073 predicted genes. Variant analysis revealed a total of 3,318,242 variants, of which 2,440,476 were SNPs, and 877,766 were InDels. Several candidate genes encoding proteins with orthology to previously characterized biotic resistance and abiotic stress-responsive genes in rice were identified. Potential gene families identified prompt further investigation of their roles in MHR drought and salt stress responses. Phylogenomic analysis of O. glaberrima landraces suggests that MHR shares close genetic affinity with the IRGC−104595 Malian landrace, consistent with historical records. This assembly thus expands the African rice genomic repository, providing a foundation to understand the genetic architecture underlying key phenotypic traits and identifying potential novel gene sources in MHR for rice improvement in the Caribbean region.

28 April 2026 in 3 Biotech
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
ABArvinda Andrew Bharat
Arvinda Andrew Bharat
Omar AliOmar Ali
Omar Ali
USUddesh M Sahadeo
Uddesh M Sahadeo
ARAdesh Ramsubhag
Adesh Ramsubhag
JJjayaraj jayaraman
jayaraj jayaraman