Dr. Archana Lal

Contact Information

    Phone:  (620) 332-5469

    Fax: (620) 331-5344

    E-mail: alal@indycc.edu

    Office Location: ACADM 202

Education

Teaching Experience

Courses Offered at ICC

Other Courses Taught

Research interests

My research focused on photosynthesis as it relates to environmental stress, mechanisms of tolerance to stress, or to address more fundamental questions about photosynthesis during stress.  I studied the basis for the inhibition of photosynthesis by water stress in two C₃ and two C₄ species.  A combination of gas exchange, fluorescence and biochemical techniques were utilized to study the effects of water stress.   In some cases rates of O₂ evolution were measured in water stressed leaves under very high CO₂ concentrations to further test for stomatal versus non-stomatal limitation of photosynthesis.  In addition, to evaluate the effects of water stress on carboxylation capacity, RuBP carboxylase activity (initial as well as total extractable activity), Rubisco content and RuBP pool/binding site of Rubisco were also measured during the stress cycle and after rewatering.

I  also studied anatomical changes in leaf during water stress. I have experience with microtechniques, tissue preparation for paraffin and resin sectioning, use of ultramicrotome for thin sectioning (1 µm), and histochemical staining.  Though, my major focus was on light microscopy, I am also familiar with principles of transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM).

In another research project I studied the effects of water stress on the degree of opening or closing of stomata in C₃ and C₄ plants.  I studied that at what values of relative water content stomata start to close.  Also, is there any uniformity in the behavior of stomata and is there any patchiness in the stomatal closure during mild and severe water stress?  Do stomata respond differently in C₃ and C₄ plants or monocot and dicot species?

Publications and Abstracts

1.  Cheeptham, Naowarat and Lal, Archana. "Use of EC-MUG Media to confirm Escherichia coli Contamination in Water Samples" American Society of  Microbiology www.MicrobeLibrary.org  Dec. 8, 2009

        http://www.microbelibrary.org/asmonly/details.asp?id=3000

        http://www.microbelibrary.org/asmonly/details.asp?id=3035

2.  Lal, Archana and Cheeptham, Naowarat (Ann). “Eosin-Methylene Blue Agar Plates” American Society of  Microbiology www.MicrobeLibrary.org  29 Sept. 2007            

        http://www.microbelibrary.org/Edzine/details.asp?id=2541&Lang=English

         http://www.microbelibrary.org/asmonly/details.asp?id=2553&Lang=English

3.  Archana Lal, M.S.B. Ku, G.E. Edwards (1996) Analysis of inhibition of photosynthesis under water stress in two C₃ species Vicia faba and Hordeum vulgare: Electron transport, CO₂ fixation and carboxylation capacity. Photosynthesis Research 49: 57-

69

4.  Archana Lal and G.E. Edwards (1996) Analysis of inhibition of photosynthesis under water stress in two C₄ species Amaranthus cruentus and Zea mays: Electron transport, CO₂ fixation and carboxylation capacity. Australian Journal of Plant physiology 23 (4): 403-41

5.  Archana Lal, G.E. Edwards (1995) Maximum quantum yields of O₂ evolution in various C₃ and C₄ species under high CO₂.  Plant and Cell Physiology 36(7): 1311-1317

6.  Edwards, G.E., Johnson, E., Lal, A., Krall, J.P. (1993) Quantum yields of photosystem II and photosynthesis in an aurea mutant of tobacco (C₃) and an oil yellow mutant of maize (C₄) which have high capacities for photosynthesis despite low chlorophyll contents.  Plant and Cell Physiology 34: 1205-1212

7.  Archana Lal, Maurice S. B. Ku, Gerald   E. Edwards (1994) Effect of water stress on photosynthesis in C₃ and C₄ species.  Third Western Regional Photosynthesis Conference, January 4-7^th at Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, California. (Abstract)

8.  Archana Lal, Maurice S. B. Ku, Gerald E. Edwards (1994) Analysis of the mechanism of inhibition of photosynthesis due to water stress. Plant Physiology Supplement 105: 18

9.  Archana Lal, G. E. Edwards (1995) Photosynthesis in alfalfa plants regenerated from salt tolerant cell lines.  Fourth Western Regional Photosynthesis Conference at Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, California. (Abstract)

10.  Archana Lal, Maurice S. B. Ku, and Gerald E. Edwards (1996) Analysis of inhibition of photosynthesis due to water stress in the C₃ species Hordeum vulgare and Vicia faba: Electron transport, CO₂ fixation, and Carboxylation capacity.  Fifth Western Regional Photosynthesis Conference at Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, California. (Abstract)   

Conferences

Referee

School Leadership & Service Activities

Professional Affiliations

This Page was last updated on: 01/05/2008 06:56 PM