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Jimmy Obala

Jimmy Obala

Senior Lecturer

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Dr. Jimmy Obala is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Crop and Animal Production at Mountains of the Moon University, Uganda. He holds a PhD in Plant Breeding from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, as well as an MSc in Plant Breeding & Seed Systems and a BSc in Agriculture from Makerere University. With over 20 years of experience in teaching, research, and community engagement, Dr. Obala specialises in plant breeding and genetics. His research focuses on enhancing food and nutrition security, improving soil fertility, and building resilience in diverse agro-ecological systems. He teaches Genetics, Plant Breeding, Biostatistics, and Biotechnology, and actively supervises undergraduate and graduate research to nurture the next generation of agricultural scientists. Dr. Obala also previously served as an academic administrator, chairing a department and a faculty.

PhD. Plant Breeding: University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (2017)

MSc. Plant Breeding & Seed Systems, Makerere University (2011)

BSc. Agriculture (Crop Science Major), Makerere University (2003)

  1. Wacal, C., Obala, J., Agole, D., Basalirwa, D., Masereka, J., Bua, R., Alipa, J,  Ewaju, E., and Andaku, J. 2024. Determinants of adoption of improved agronomic practices of (Sesamum indicum L.) production, challenges and opportunities in Lango sub region of Northern Uganda. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 20:458–473.
  2. Kigambo, M., Wasswa, P., Obala, J., Nakibuule, J., and Mugisha, J. 2023. Effect of seed source, size and treatment on potato growth and yield. Makerere University Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 12:1-22
  3. Nakibuule, J., Obala, J., Kigambo, M., Kajunju, N.H.B., and Mugisha, J. 2022. Effect of potato-bean intercrop arrangement, plant spacing and fertilizer usage on plant growth and tuber yield in different environments. Makerere University Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 11:107-126.
  4. Singh, V., Sinha, P., Obala, J., Amir, W.K., Chitikineni, A., Saxena, R.K., and Varshney, R.K. 2022. QTL-seq for the identification of candidate genes for days to flowering and leaf shape in pigeonpea. Heredity, 128:411-419.
  5. Obala, J., Saxena R.K., Singh, V., Kale, S., Garg, V., Sameerkumar, C.V., Saxena, K.B., Tongoona, P., Sibiya, J., and Varshney, R.K. 2020. Seed protein content and its relationships with agronomic traits in pigeonpea is controlled by both main and epistatic effects QTLs. Scientific Reports, 10:214.
  6. Obala, J., Saxena R.K., Singh, V., Amir, K., Tongoona, P., Sibiya, J., and Varshney, R.K. 2019. Identification of sequence-based markers for seed protein content in pigeonpea. Molecular Genetics and Genomics, 294:57-68.
  7. Obala, J., Saxena R.K., Singh, V.K., Saxena, K.B., Sameerkumar, C.V., Anil, K., Rathore, A., Gazula P., Patel, K., Tongoona, P., Sibiya, J., and Varshney, R.K. 2019. Genetic analysis of seed protein content and its association with seed weight and yield in pigeonpea. Journal of Food Legumes, 32:65-69
  8. Obala, J., Saxena R.K., Singh, V.K., Vechalapu, S., Das, R., Rathore, A., Saxena, K.B., Sameer-Kumar, C.V., Tongoona, P., Sibiya, J., and Varshney, R.K. 2018. Genetic variation and relationships of total seed protein content with some agronomic traits in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.). Australian Journal of Crop Science, 12:1859-1865.
  9. Saxena, R.K., Obala, J., Sinjushin, A., Sameer-Kumar, C.V., Saxena, K.B., and Varshney, R.K. 2017. Characterization and mapping of Dt1 locus which co‑segregates with CcTFL1 for growth habit in pigeonpea. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 130:1773-1784.
  10. Pazhamala, L., Saxena, R.K., Singh, V.K., Sameer-Kumar, C.V., Kumar, V., Sinha, P., Patel, K., Obala, J., Kaoneka, S.R., Tongoona, P., Shimelis, H.A., Gangarao, N.V.P.R., Odeny, D., Rathore, A., Dharmaraj, P.S., Yamini, K. N., and Varshney, R.K. 2015. Genomics-assisted breeding for boosting crop improvement in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). Frontiers in Plant Science, 6:50.
  11. Obala, J., Mukankusi, C., Rubaihayo, P.R., Gibson, P. and Edema, R. 2012. Improvement of resistance to Fusarium root rot through gene pyramiding in common bean. African Crop Science, 20:1-13.

2018: Co-PI of a 4-year research grant from MasterCard Foundation under the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) Community Action Research Program Plus for a project titled “Making Potato Value Chains Enhance Productivity and Incomes in Uganda.”

2013: USAID fellowship for PhD training in Plant Breeding at ICRISAT (India) and University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa).

2011: RUFORUM Field Attachment Program Award for the study titled “Development of Fusarium root rot resistant ideotypes in common bean”.

 

 

 

01 PhD research project supervision on-going

03 master’s research supervised to completion (graduated)

05 master’s research supervision ongoing

>20 bachelor students supervised to completion