Sundeep Kumar | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Sundeep Kumar | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Principal Scientist ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa, New Delhi India

Dr. Sundeep Kumar is a Principal Scientist in Plant Biotechnology at ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, India. With over two decades of experience in plant genetics and biotechnology, he has significantly contributed to wheat breeding, stress tolerance, and genomic resource management. His research has led to the development of novel genetic stocks, patents, and marker systems that enhance crop resilience and productivity.

Profile

Google Scholar

Education 🎓

Dr. Sundeep Kumar earned his Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Breeding from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, in 2003, focusing on spot blotch resistance in wheat. He holds an M.Sc. (Ag.) in Agricultural Botany from C.C.S. University, Meerut (1999), where he specialized in genetics and plant breeding. He also completed a B.Sc. (Ag.) from the same university in 1997, earning a University Gold Medal. Additionally, he cleared ICAR and CSIR National Eligibility Tests (NET) in Plant Breeding and Life Sciences.

Experience 🌱

Dr. Kumar has held several key positions in research and academia. He has been serving as Principal Scientist (Plant Biotechnology) at ICAR-NBPGR since 2016. Prior to this, he worked as a Senior Scientist at the same institute from 2010-2016. His academic journey includes roles as an Assistant Professor at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut (2005-2010). Internationally, he was a DAAD Postdoctoral Fellow at Justus Liebig University, Germany (2004-2005) and a BOYSCAST Postdoctoral Fellow at Kansas State University, USA (2008-2009).

Research Interests 🎡

Dr. Kumar specializes in plant biotechnology, molecular breeding, and genetic resource management. His research focuses on wheat genomics, stress tolerance, bioinformatics, and trait discovery. He has contributed to multi-institutional projects on climate resilience, genome characterization, and the development of superior crop varieties.

Awards & Honors 🏆

  • 2024: Prof. Norman Borlaug Memorial Award (Society for Plant Research)
  • 2023: Dr. R.N Sawhney Memorial Award (Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding)
  • 2020: Distinguished Scientist Award (Society for Scientific Development in Agriculture & Technology)
  • Elected Fellow & Member: National Academy of Biological Sciences (2021), Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding (2018), National Academy of Sciences (2023), Wheat Initiative Expert Working Group on Durum Wheat (2024)

Publications Top Notes: 📚

Dr. Kumar has authored numerous high-impact research papers in peer-reviewed journals. Some of his notable publications include:

Comparison of SSR and SNP markers in estimation of genetic diversity and population structure of Indian rice varieties

Stay green trait: variation, inheritance and its association with spot blotch resistance in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Identification of QTLs for stay green trait in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the ‘Chirya 3’ × ‘Sonalika’ population

Genetic diversity trend in Indian rice varieties: an analysis using SSR markers

Variability and its probable cause in natural populations of spot blotch pathogen Bipolaris sorokiniana of wheat (T. aestivum L.) in India/Variabilität und ihre wahrscheinliche …

Quantitative trait loci for resistance to spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana in wheat (T. aestivum L.) lines ‘Ning 8201’ and ‘Chirya 3’

CAAT box-derived polymorphism (CBDP): a novel promoter-targeted molecular marker for plants

Mapping of resistance to spot blotch disease caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana in spring wheat

Identification, analysis and development of salt responsive candidate gene based SSR markers in wheat

Evaluation of 19,460 wheat accessions conserved in the Indian national genebank to identify new sources of resistance to rust and spot blotch diseases

Huma Qureshi | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Huma Qureshi | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor University of Chakwal Pakistan

Dr. Huma Qureshi (Gold Medalist) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Chakwal, Pakistan. She specializes in plant ecology, invasive plants, allelopathy, weed management, and natural herbicides. With over 100 research publications, she is a recognized expert in her field, contributing to scientific journals and international conferences.

Profile

Research Gate

Google Scholar

Orcid

🎓 Education

  • Ph.D. in Botany – PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (2018)
    • Research Exchange: The University of Queensland, Australia
  • M.Sc. in Botany – Gold Medalist

🏛️ Academic & Research Experience

  • Assistant Professor, University of Chakwal (2022–Present)
  • Assistant Professor, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan (2019–2021)
  • Lecturer, Government Postgraduate College for Women, Rawalpindi (2018–2019)
  • Research Scholar, The University of Queensland, Australia (2017)

🔬 Research Interests

  • Plant Ecology 🌱
  • Invasive Plants 🌍
  • Allelopathy 🌾
  • Weed Management 🌿
  • Natural Herbicides 🍃
  • Ethnobotany 🌸

🏆 Awards & Distinctions

  • Gold Medalist – M.Sc. Botany 🥇
  • HEC Approved Supervisor 🎓
  • Vice Chancellor Talent Scholarship Recipient 🎖️
  • HEC IRSIP Scholarship – The University of Queensland, Australia (2017)

🎤 Conferences & Workshops

  • Presented Research: Botany 2019 (Arizona, USA) 🌎, 15th National & 6th International Conference of Botany (Pakistan, 2017)
  • Workshops Attended: Brassica Seed Production, Bioremediation, Biosafety Training

🎓 Supervision & Mentorship

  • BS & MS Thesis Supervision 📑
  • MS Thesis Evaluator 🏛️

📚 Publications Top Notes:

A multinational Delphi consensus to end the COVID-19 public health threat

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles: Optimization, characterization, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity study by hemolysis assay

02. Picrorhiza kurroa: an ethnopharmacologically important plant species of Himalayan region

Chemical composition and medicinal significance of Fagonia cretica: a review

Allelopathic interference of leaf powder and aqueous extracts of hostile weed: Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae)

Ethnopharmacological profile of anti-arthritic plants of Asia-a systematic review

Isolation of natural herbicidal compound from Lantana camara

Impacts of Xanthium strumarium L. invasion on vascular plant diversity in Pothwar Region (Pakistan)

The incredible queen of green: Nutritive value and therapeutic potential of Moringa oleifera Lam

Bioherbicidal ability and weed management of allelopathic methyl esters from Lantana camara

 

Sathishkumar Murugan | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Sathishkumar Murugan | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

The Department of Environmental Economics and Management, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot 7610001, Israel.

Sathish Kumar M is an innovative Ph.D. scholar with expertise in agricultural marketing, agricultural economics, agricultural statistics, business model development, renewable energy, and water management. He has strong analytical skills in data analysis using Excel, SPSS, R, Python, and Stata. Sathish has both academic and industry experience, having worked in sales and marketing as well as research on resource economics and business model development. He is a recipient of the SHODH Ph.D. scholarship by the Education Department of Gujarat.

Profile

Scopus

Google Scholar

Orcid

🎓 Education

  • Postdoctoral Research (2024–Present)
    The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
    Department of Environmental Economics and Management

  • Ph.D. in Agribusiness Management (2020–2024)
    International Agribusiness Management Institute, Anand Agricultural University, India
    Thesis: Impact of solar water pumping systems on farmers’ income

  • MBA in Agri-Business (2017–2019)
    Junagadh Agricultural University, India
    Thesis: Farmers’ purchase intention toward water-soluble fertilizers

  • B.Sc. in Agriculture (2013–2017)
    Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India

💼 Experience

  • Sales Executive, ABC Fruits, India (2019–2020) – Managed customer relations, implemented sales strategies, and expanded distribution channels.
  • Research Intern, International Water Management Institute, Nepal (2023) – Developed solar business models for small farmers.
  • Marketing Intern, Kothari Industrial Corporation, India (2019) – Analyzed adoption of water-soluble fertilizers.
  • Marketing Intern, The Dharmapuri District Coop. Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. (2019) – Assessed sales trends and strategies.

🔬 Research Interests

  • Agricultural marketing and business model development
  • Agricultural economics and resource management
  • Renewable energy and sustainable water management

🏆 Awards & Recognitions

  • SHODH Ph.D. Scholarship – Awarded by the Education Department of Gujarat for high-quality research.

📚 Publications Top Notes:

Sathish Kumar M, Kumari P., Maria S, Teena Lakshmi B (2024). Potato and Potato Seed Production Under Contract Farming—a Study from Empirical Evidence of Case Studies. Potato Research

Prity Kumari, Sathish Kumar M, Vekariya P, Misra P (2024). Predicting Potato Price in Agra, UP, India: An H2O AutoML Forecasting Algorithm. Potato Research

Sathish Kumar M, Lad Y A, Pundir R S (2024). Factors influencing farmers to adopt solar water pumping system in Gujarat. Clean Energy

Sathish Kumar M, Prity Kumari, Lad Y A, Sherin Maria (2024). Scenario of Solar Energy and Policies in India. Clean Energy

Rede G D, Magar V G, Sathish Kumar M, Gautam R S (2024). Potato Growers: A linear analysis. Potato Research

Artificial neural network model for predicting area, production and productivity of sapota in Gujarat

Forecasting area, production and productivity of citrus in Gujarat-An application of artificial neural network

An artificial neural network approach for predicting area, production and productivity of Banana in Gujarat

Factors influencing banana growers to purchase water-soluble fertilizers in Trichy district, Tamil Nadu

Muhammad Azam | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Azam | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Associate Professor University of Agriculture Faisalabad Pakistan

Dr. Muhammad Azam is an esteemed Associate Professor at the Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. With a deep-rooted passion for horticulture, he has significantly contributed to research in postharvest management, fruit quality improvement, and sustainable agricultural practices. His extensive academic career, consultancy work, and leadership roles in various projects have made a lasting impact in the field.

Profile

Google Scholar

Education 🎓

Dr. Azam holds a Ph.D. in Horticulture from Zhejiang University, China (2014). His earlier education includes an M.Sc. (Hons.) in Horticulture (2007) and a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture (2005) from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. His academic journey began with a Pre-Medical F.Sc. from Govt College Faisalabad (2001) and Matriculation in Science from Govt. Islamic Madrassa High School, Faisalabad (1999).

Experience 👨‍🏫

Currently serving as an Associate Professor since June 2022, Dr. Azam has a robust teaching and research background. He was previously an Assistant Professor at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (2015-2022) and Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan (2014-2015). His expertise also extends to consultancy, having worked as a Citrus GLOBALGAP Consultant for the Ministry of Food Agriculture and Asian Development Bank (2007-2010). His leadership roles include Project Manager for Citrus Global GAP Certification and management consultancy positions in Sargodha.

Research Interests 🔬

Dr. Azam’s research focuses on postharvest physiology, fruit quality enhancement, edible coatings, sustainable agriculture, and the impact of biostimulants on horticultural crops. His work aims to improve fruit storage techniques, reduce postharvest losses, and develop eco-friendly solutions for the horticultural industry.

Awards & Distinctions 🏆

  • HEC Approved Supervisor since 2015
  • Recipient of a Ph.D. Scholarship from the China Scholarship Council (CSC)
  • International training scholarships for high-quality fruit production from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
  • First position in “Physiology and Molecular Biology in Horticulture Crops” (Zhejiang University, China & Nottingham University, UK)
  • Vice President, Pakistan Society of Horticultural Sciences (2009-2010)
  • Recognition for earthquake relief work in Pakistan

Publications Top Notes: 📚

Dr. Azam has authored several high-impact research papers, book chapters, and international conference proceedings. Some of his notable publications include:

“Improvement of physicochemicals, antioxidant system and softening enzymes by postharvest L-arginine application leads to maintain persimmon fruit quality under low temperature storage”

Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 2023

Read here

“Application of methyl jasmonate to papaya fruit stored at different temperatures”

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021

Read here

“Biochemical Analysis of Organic Acids and Soluble Sugars in Wild and Cultivated Pomegranate Germplasm Based in Pakistan”

Plants, 2020

Read here

Book Chapter: “Strategies to Reduce Postharvest Losses of Citrus Fruits”

Published by Taylor & Francis Group

Read here

Book Chapter: “Phytoremediation of Agricultural Pollutants”

Springer, Cham, 2020

Read here

Book Chapter: “Postharvest and Quality Management of Strawberry”

IntechOpen Limited, London, UK

Read here

Dr. Azam’s extensive contributions to horticultural sciences continue to shape agricultural research and innovation, making him a distinguished figure in his field. 🚀