Peer-Reviewed Publications

1. Saini, A. K., Jahed, K. R., Neres, D. F., Wright, R. C.,  Sherif, S. M. (2025). Investigating frost response, rootstock-dependent cold tolerance, and floral bud mortality in apple cultivars through transcriptomic insights. Plant Stress, 29, 100829. 

2. Johnson, K., Douglas, R. K., Allen, W. C., Yoder, K., Sherif, S. M., Cox, K., ... & Villani, S. M. (2025). Evaluation of Fungicides for the Management of Glomerella Leaf Spot and Bitter Rot on Apple in North Carolina. Plant Disease, (ja).

3. Das, P. R., Islam, M. T., Liu, J., Liu, Z., Dardick, C., & Sherif, S. M. (2024). Temporal changes in the proanthocyanidins to anthocyanins ratio during dormancy associate with bloom time variations in peach. Current Plant Biology, 40, 100393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpb.2024.10039

4. Zarrabian, M. and Sherif, S.M., (2024). Silence is not always golden: A closer look at potential environmental and ecotoxicological impacts of large-scale dsRNA application. Science of The Total Environment, doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175311.

5. Tipu, M. M. H., & Sherif, S. M. (2024). Ethylene and its crosstalk with hormonal pathways in fruit ripening: mechanisms, modulation, and commercial exploitation. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 10.3389/fpls.2024.1475496

6. Gajjar, P., Ismail, A., Islam, T., Moniruzzaman, M., Darwish, A. G., Dawood, A. S., Mohamed, A.G., Haikal, A.M., El-Saady, A.M., El-Kereamy, A., Sherif, S.M. and El-Sharkawy, I. (2024). Transcriptome Profiling of a Salt Excluder Hybrid Grapevine Rootstock ‘Ruggeri’ throughout Salinity. Plants, 13(6), 837. 10.3390/plants13060837

7. Jahed, K.R., Saini, A.K., & Sherif, S.M. (2023). Coping with the cold: unveiling cryoprotectants, molecular signaling pathways, and strategies for cold stress resilience. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14. 10.3389/fpls.2023.1246093

8. Gajjar, P., Ismail, A., Islam, T., Darwish, A. G., Moniruzzaman, M., Abuslima, E., Dawood, A. S., El-Saady, A. M., Tsolova, V., El-Kereamy, A., Nick, P., Sherif, S.M., Abazinge, M. D., & El-Sharkawy, I. (2023). Physiological Comparison of Two Salt-Excluder Hybrid Grapevine Rootstocks under Salinity Reveals Different Adaptation Qualities. Plants, 12 (18). 10.3390/plants12183247 

9. Sapkota, S., Salem, M., Jahed, K.R., Artlip, T.S., Sherif, S.M. (2023). From endodormancy to ecodormancy: the transcriptional landscape of apple floral buds. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.

10. Gajjar, P., Ismail, A., Islam, T., Darwish, A.G., Moniruzzaman, M., Abuslima, E., Dawood, A., El-Saady, A., Tsolova, V.,El-Kereamy, A., Ick, P., Sherif, S.M., Abazinge, M., and El-Sharkawy, I. (2023). Physiological Comparison of Two Salt-Excluder Hybrid Grapevine Rootstocks under Salinity Reveals Different Adaptation Qualities. Plants, 12(18), 3247.

11. Jahed, K.R., Saini, A.K., & Sherif, S.M. (2023). Coping with the cold: unveiling cryoprotectants, molecular signaling pathways, and strategies for cold stress resilience. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14.

12. Robinson, T. L., Gonzalez, L., Cheng, L., Ziang, Y., Peck, G., Arnoldussen, B., Gomez, M., Guerra, M., Miranda Sazo, M., Kahlke, C., Einhorn, T., Wallis, A., Musacchi, S., Serra, S., Lewis, K., Schmidt, T., Heinemann, P., He, L., Kon, T., Sherif, S.M., Clements, J., & Layer, C. (2023). Studies in precision crop load management of apple. Acta Horticulturae, 1366(25). doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1366.25

13. Huang, D., Gao, L., McAdams, J., Zhao, F., Lu, H., Wu, Y., Martin, J., Sherif, S.M., Subramanian, J., Duan, H., Liu, W. (2022). Engineered cleistogamy in Camelina sativa for bioconfinement. Horticulture Research. 10(2).

14. **Liu, J., **Islam, M.T., Laliberte, S., Haak, D.C., and Sherif, S.M. (2022). Fall applications of ethephon modulates gene networks controlling bud development during dormancy in peach (Prunus Persica). International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(12), 6801. 

15. **Islam, M., **Liu, J., **Das, P., Singh, A., and Sherif, S.M. (2022). Rootstock effects on bitter pit incidence in ‘Honeycrisp’ apples are associated with changes in fruit’s cell wall chemical properties. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13. 

16. **Liu, J.; **Islam, M.T.; and Sherif, S.M. (2022). Effects of Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the pre-harvest drop rate, fruit quality, and stem-end splitting in ‘Gala’ Apples. Horticulturae, 8, 1100. 

17. **Das, P.R., Darwish, A.G., Ismail, A., Haikal, A.M., Gajjar, P., Balasubramani, S.P., Sheikh, M.B., Tsolova, V., Soliman, K.F., Sherif, S.M. and El-Sharkawy, I. (2022). Diversity in blueberry genotypes and developmental stages enables discrepancy in the bioactive compounds, metabolites, and cytotoxicity. Food Chemistry, 374, 131632. 

18. Nigg, M., de Oliveira, T.C., Sarmiento-Villamil, J.L., de la Bastide, P.Y., Hintz, W.E., Sherif, S.M., Shukla, M., Bernier, L., and Saxena, P.K. (2022). Comparative analysis of transcriptomes of Ophiostoma novo-ulmi ssp. americana colonizing resistant or sensitive genotypes of American elm. Journal of Fungi, 8(6), 637.

19. **Islam, M.T., Coutin, J.F., Shukla, M., Dhaliwal, A.K., Nigg, M., Bernier, L., Sherif, S.M., and Saxena, P. (2022). Deciphering the genome-wide transcriptomic changes during interactions of resistant and susceptible genotypes of American elm with Ophiostoma novo-ulmi. Journal of Fungi, 8, 120. 

20. Misk, E., Huber, P., Maclnnes, J., Sherif, S.M., Abo-Ismail, M., and Lumsden, J. (2022). Innate response of rainbow trout gill epithelial (RTgill-W1) cell line to ultraviolet-inactivated VHSV and FliC and rhabdovirus infection. Fish and Shellfish Immunology Reports, 68, 395-403. 

21. Darwish A.G., **Das, P.R., Ismail, A., Gajjar, P., Balasubramani, S.P., Sheikh, M.B., Tsolova, V., Sherif, S.M., and El-Sharkawy, I. (2021). Untargeted Metabolomics and antioxidant capacities of muscadine grape genotypes during berry development. Antioxidants, 10, 914. 

22. Hezema, Y.S., Shukla, M.R., Ayyanath, M.M., Sherif, S.M., and Saxena, P.K. (2021). Physiological and molecular responses of six apple rootstocks to osmotic stress. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22, 16. 

23. Hezema, Y.S., Shukla, M.R., Goel, A., Ayyanath, M.M., Sherif, S.M., and Saxena, P.K. (2021). Rootstocks overexpressing stnpr1 and stdreb1 improve osmotic stress tolerance of wild-type scion in transgrafted tobacco plants. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22, 29. 

24. **Liu, J., **Islam, M.T., *Sapkota, S., Ravindran, P., Kumar, P.P., Artlip, T.S., and Sherif, S.M. (2021). Ethylene-mediated modulation of bud phenology, cold hardiness, and hormone biosynthesis in Peach (Prunus persica). Plants, 10, 23. 

25. *Allen, W.C., Kon, T., and Sherif, S.M. (2021). Evaluation of blossom thinning spray timing strategies in apple. Horticulturae, 7, 12. 

26. *Sapkota, S., **Liu, J., **Islam, M.T., and Sherif, S.M. (2021). Changes in reactive oxygen species, antioxidants and carbohydrate metabolism in relation to dormancy transition and bud break in apple (Malus x domestica Borkh) cultivars. Antioxidants, 10, 16. 

27. **Islam, M.T., **Liu, J., and Sherif, S.M. (2021). Ethephon-mediated bloom delay in peach is associated with alterations in reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, and carbohydrate metabolism during dormancy. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, 15. 

28. *Sapkota, S., **Liu, J., **Islam, M.T., Ravindran, P., Kumar, P.P., and Sherif, S.M. (2021). Contrasting bloom dates in two apple cultivars linked to differential levels of phytohormones and heat requirements during ecodormancy. Scientia Horticulturae, 288, 9. 

29. Cline, J.A., Autio, W., Clements, J., Crassweller, R., Einhorn, T., Fahalli, E., Francescatto, P., Hoover, E., Lang, G., Lordan, J., Moran, R., Muehlbauer, M., Musacchi, S., Stasiak, M., Parra Quezada, R., Robinson, T., Sherif, S.M., and Zandstra, J. (2021). Early performance of ‘Honeycrisp’ apple trees on several size-controlling rootstocks in the 2014 NC-140 rootstock trial. Journal of American Pomological Society, 75, 189-202. 

30. **Islam, M.T., Davis, Z., Chen, L., Englaender, J., Zomorodi, S., Frank, J., Bartlett, K., Somers, E., Carballo, S.M., Kester, M., Shakeel, A., Pourtaheri, P and Sherif, S.M. (2021). Minicell-based fungal RNAi delivery for sustainable crop protection. Microbial Biotechnology, 14, 1847-1856. 

31. El-Sharkawy, I., Ismail, A., Darwish, A., El Kayal, W., Subramanian, J., and Sherif, S.M. (2020). Functional characterization of a gibberellin F-box protein, PslSLY1, during plum fruit development. Journal of Experimental Botany, 72, 371-384. 

32. Sherif, S.M., Yoder, K., & Peck, G. (2020). Effects of dwarfing and semi-dwarfing apple rootstocks on the growth and yield of ‘Gala’, ‘Fuji’ and ‘York’ apples. Acta Horticulturae, 1281. 

33. Marini, R.P., Baugher, T.A., Muehlbauer, M., Sherif, S.M., Crassweller, R., and Schupp, J.R. (2020). Verification and modification of a model to predict bitter pit for ‘Honeycrisp’ apples. HortScience, 55, 1882-1887. doi:10.21273/hortsci15301-20

34. **Das, P.R., and Sherif, S.M. (2020). Application of exogenous dsRNAs-induced RNAi in agriculture: Challenges and triumphs. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 946. doi:10.3389/fpls.2020.00946

35. **Islam, M.T., and Sherif, S.M. (2020). RNAi-based biofungicides as a promising next-generation strategy for controlling devastating gray mold diseases. International Journal of Molecular Science, 2020, 21, 2072. doi:10.3390/ijms21062072

36. Ismail, A., El-Sharkawy, I. and Sherif, S.M. (2020). Salt stress signals on demand: cellular events in the right context. International Journal of Molecular Science, 30, 21, 3918. org/10.3390/ijms21113918

37. **Liu, J., & Sherif, S.M. (2019). Combating spring frost with ethylene. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10, 6. org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01408

38. **Liu, J., & Sherif, S.M. (2019). Hormonal orchestration of bud dormancy cycle in deciduous woody perennials. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10, 21. org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01136

39. Elsadr, H., Sherif, S.M., Banks, T., Somers, D., and Jayasankar, S. (2019). Refining the genomic region containing a major locus controlling fruit maturity in peach. Scientific Reports, 9, 12. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-44042-4

40. Saremba, B.M., Tymm, F.J.M., Baethke, K., Rheault, M.R., Sherif, S.M., Saxena, P.K., and Murch, S.J. (2017). Plant signals during beetle (Scolytus multistriatus) feeding in American elm (Ulmus americana Planch). Plant Signaling & Behavior, 12, 11. doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2017.1296997

41. Sherif, S.M., Erland, L.A., Shukla, M.R., and Saxena, P.K. (2017). Bark and wood tissues of American elm exhibit distinct responses to Dutch elm disease. Scientific Reports, 7, 11. org/10.1038/s41598-017-07779-4

42. Dek, M.S.P., Padmanabhan, P., Sherif, S.M., Subramanian, J., and Paliyath, G. (2017). Upregulation of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K) Enhances Ethylene Biosynthesis and Accelerates Flower Senescence in Transgenic Nicotiana tabacum L. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18, 15. doi.org/10.3390/ijms18071533

43. El-Sharkawy, I., Sherif, S.M., Abdulla, M., and Jayasankar, S. (2017). Plum Fruit Development Occurs via Gibberellin-Sensitive and-Insensitive DELLA Repressors. PLoS ONE, 12, e0169440. org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169440

44. El-Sharkawy, I., Sherif, S.M., El Kayal, W., Jones, B., Li, Z., Sullivan, A.J., and Jayasankar, S. (2016). Overexpression of plum auxin receptor PslTIR1 in tomato alters plant growth, fruit development and fruit shelf-life characteristics. BMC Plant Biology, 16, 12. org/10.1186/s12870-016-0746-z

45. Sherif, S.M., Shukla, M.R., Murch, S. J., Bernier, L., and Saxena, P.K. (2016). Simultaneous induction of jasmonic acid and disease-responsive genes signifies tolerance of American elm to Dutch elm disease. Scientific Reports, 6, 15. org/10.1038/srep21934

46. El-Sharkawy, I., Sherif, S.M., Qubbaj, T., Sullivan, A.J., and Jayasankar, S. (2016). Stimulated auxin levels enhance plum fruit ripening, but limit shelf-life characteristics. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 112, 215-223. org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2015.09.012

47. Jones, A.M.P., Shukla, M.R., Sherif, S.M., Brown, P.B., and Saxena, P.K. (2016). Growth regulating properties of isoprene and isoprenoid-based essential oils. Plant Cell Reports, 35, 91-102. org/10.1007/s00299-015-1870-1

48. Selvaraj, D., Sherif, S.M., Dek, M.S.P., Paliyath, G., El-Sharkawy, I., and Subramanian, J. (2016). Identification and characterization of genes involved in the fruit color development of European plum. Journal of The American Society for Horticultural Science, 141, 467-474. org/10.21273/JASHS03617-16

49. Bajwa, V.S., Shukla, M.R., Sherif, S.M., Murch, S.J., and Saxena, P.K. (2015). Identification and characterization of serotonin as an anti-browning compound of apple and pear. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 110, 183-189. org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2015.08.018

50. Sherif, S.M., El-Sharkawy, I., Mathur, J., Ravindran, P., Kumar, P., Paliyath, G., and Jayasankar, S. (2015). A stable JAZ protein from peach mediates the transition from outcrossing to self-pollination. BMC Biology, 13, 17. org/10.1186/s12915-015-0124-6

51. Sherif, S.M., El-Sharkawy, I., Paliyath, G., and Jayasankar, S. (2015). Molecular Insights into Plant-Phytopathogenic Bacteria Interactions. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, 33, 1116-1130. org/10.1007/s11105-014-0822-1

52. Jayanthi, M., Jerard, A., Sherif, S.M., and Jayasankar, S. (2015). Molecular characterization of somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinase (SERK) genes from plum (Prunus salicina) and peach (Prunus persica). Indian Journal of Horticulture, 71. https://indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ijh&volume=71&issue=4&article=021

53. Sherif, S.M., Jones, A.M.P., Shukla, M.R., and Saxena, P.K. (2014). Establishment of invasive and non-invasive reporter systems to investigate American elm-Ophiostoma novo-ulmi interactions. Fungal Genetics and Biology, 71, 32-41. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2014.08.005

54. El-Sharkawy, I., Sherif, S.M., Jones, B., Mila, I., Kumar, P.P., Bouzayen, M., and Jayasankar, S. (2014). TIR1-like auxin-receptors are involved in the regulation of plum fruit development. Journal of Experimental Botany, 65, 5205-5215. org/10.1093/jxb/eru279

55. Bajwa, V.S., Shukla, M.R., Sherif, S.M., Murch, S.J., and Saxena, P.K. (2014). Role of melatonin in alleviating cold stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Journal of Pineal Research, 56, 238-245. org/10.1111/jpi.12115.

56. El-Sharkawy, I., Sherif, S.M., El Kayal, W., Mahboob, A., Abubaker, K., Ravindran, P., Jyothi-Prakash P.A., Kumar, P.P., and Jayasankar, S. (2014). Characterization of gibberellin-signalling elements during plum fruit ontogeny defines the essentiality of gibberellin in fruit development. Plant Molecular Biology, 84, 399-413. org/10.1007/s11103-013-0139-8

57. Sherif, S.M., El-Sharkawy, I., Paliyath, G., and Jayasankar, S. (2013). PpERF3b, a transcriptional repressor from peach, contributes to disease susceptibility and side branching in EAR-dependent and -independent fashions. Plant Cell Reports, 32, 1111-1124. org/10.1007/s00299-013-1405-6

58. El-Sharkawy, I., Sherif, S.M., Mahboob, A., Abubaker, K., Bouzayen, M., and Jayasankar, S. (2012). Expression of auxin-binding protein1 during plum fruit ontogeny supports the potential role of auxin in initiating and enhancing climacteric ripening. Plant Cell Reports, 31, 1911-1921. DOI: 10.1007/s00299-012-1304-2

59. Sherif, S.M., El-Sharkawy, I., Paliyath, G., and Jayasankar, S. (2012). Differential expression of peach ERF transcriptional activators in response to signaling molecules and inoculation with Xanthomonas campestris pruni. Journal of Plant Physiology, 169, 731-739. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22410465/

60. Sherif, S.M., Paliyath, G., and Jayasankar, S. (2012). Molecular characterization of peach PR genes and their induction kinetics in response to bacterial infection and signaling molecules. Plant Cell Reports, 31, 697-711. DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2012.02.003

61. Prasath, D., El-Sharkawy, I., Sherif, S.M., Tiwary, K.S., and Jayasankar, S. (2011). Cloning and characterization of PR5 gene from Curcuma amada and Zingiber officinale in response to Ralstonia solanacearum infection. Plant Cell Reports, 30, 1799-1809. org/10.1007/s00299-011-1087-x

62. El-Sharkawy, I., Sherif, S.M., Mila, I., Bouzayen, M., and Jayasankar, S. (2009). Molecular characterization of seven genes encoding ethylene-responsive transcriptional factors during plum fruit development and ripening. Journal of Experimental Botany, 60, 907-922. org/10.1093/jxb/ern354