Shikha Gupta | Sustainable Agriculture | Young Scientist Award

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Dr. Shikha Gupta | Sustainable Agriculture | Young Scientist Award

Amity University | India

Dr. Shikha Gupta is a research-oriented biotechnologist with a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and CSIR-UGC NET (Life Sciences) qualification, currently serving as a CSIR-Research Associate at Amity University, Noida. She has academic and research experience spanning teaching, funded projects, and laboratory mentoring. Her research centers on plant–microbe interactions, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, bacterial endophytes, and sustainable agriculture, with a strong focus on salinity stress mitigation and biocontrol mechanisms. Dr. Gupta has published extensively in high-impact journals and scholarly books, earning strong citation metrics. Her work contributes significantly to sustainable crop productivity and microbial biotechnology.

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Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria to Mitigate Biotic and Abiotic Stress in Plants

– Sustainable Agriculture Reviews 60, 2023 (Book Chapter)

Gaurav Raturi | Sustainable Agriculture | Young Scientist Award

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Dr. Gaurav Raturi | Sustainable Agriculture | Young Scientist Award

Texas Tech University | United States

He has received several prestigious awards, including the travel award for the Anvi’o Workshop and ECR Symposium in Germany, the AMI Young Scientist Award (Agriculture Microbiology), the Best Poster Award at ICPR, the Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship, ICAR-NET, CSIR-UGC NET-JRF (AIR 66) and NET-LS (AIR 30), and the Uttarakhand SET. He serves on the editorial boards of BMC Plant Biology, Genome Editing in Plants, IJMB, Cellular Microbiology (Hindawi), and BioMed Research International, and has reviewed more than ten manuscripts for reputed journals such as Scientific Reports, JAR, PLOS One, and BNRC. He is an active member of AMI, ISSAG, ASHS, ASPB, YESS, and the South American Mycorrhizal Research Network. His Ph.D. work led to the discovery and characterization of silicate-solubilizing Enterobacter sp. LR6, whose 16S rRNA and whole-genome sequence have been deposited in NCBI. He has presented his work at numerous national and international conferences, including the IGCAST Symposium, Soy, ASPB Plant Biology, and ICPR, and has undergone training in genomics, membrane protein simulations, microbial fermentation, and water-quality monitoring. Overall, Dr. Gaurav Raturi is an accomplished early-career scientist contributing significantly to sustainable agriculture, microbial biotechnology, and plant–microbe symbiosis research.

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Featured Publications

Guanghao Li | Crop Science | Research Excellence Award

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Dr. Guanghao Li | Crop Science | Research Excellence Award

Yangzhou University | China

Li Guanghao is an accomplished crop scientist specializing in maize cultivation, yield and quality formation, and stress physiology. He earned his B.Sc. in Seed Science and Engineering at Shandong Agricultural University, followed by a Ph.D. in Crop Cultivation and Tillage at the same institution. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship, he joined the College of Agriculture at Yangzhou University, where he currently serves as an Associate Professor and supervisor of master’s students. Over his career, he has conducted extensive research into improving maize yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and quality, especially under challenging environmental conditions such as weak light stress, through optimizing fertilization and cultivation practices. His projects include national and provincial grants investigating physiological mechanisms underlying yield and quality formation, slow-release fertilizer application, and stress mitigation in waxy maize. He has received recognition for his doctoral dissertation as an outstanding thesis in Shandong Province. His research interest centers on maize physiology, agronomic management, abiotic stress tolerance, and sustainable crop production. With sustained publication output, teaching and mentorship experience, and practical application of research findings, he continues contributing to crop science and promoting high-efficiency, high-quality maize production.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Liu, J., Li, J., Guo, J., Yang, H., Li, G., & Lu, D. (2025, November 26). Application of exogenous 24-Epibrassinolide at the silking stage alleviates the effects of post-silking heat stress on photosynthetic performance of waxy maize. Agriculture.

Liang, Y., Liu, Q., Zeng, J., Xiong, F., Guo, J., Li, G., & Lu, D. (2024, October 23). Optimizing nitrogen input increased yield and efficiency in maize-soybean strip intercropping system. Agronomy.

Jiang, C., Liang, Y., Wang, Y., You, G., Guo, J., Lu, D., & Li, G. (2024, September 24). Effects of sulfur application on the quality of fresh waxy maize. Plants.

Sun, H., Li, W., Liang, Y., & Li, G. (2023, April 23). Shading stress at different grain filling stages affects dry matter and nitrogen accumulation and remobilization in fresh waxy maize. Plants.

Li, G., Wang, L., Li, L., Lu, D., & Lu, W. (2020, January). Effects of fertilizer management strategies on maize yield and nitrogen use efficiencies under different densities. Agronomy Journal.

Paloma Moncalean | Plant Biotechnology | Excellence in Plant Research

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Dr. Paloma Moncalean | Plant Biotechnology | Excellence in Plant Research

NEIKER | Spain

Dr. Paloma Moncaleán Guillén is a leading plant biotechnologist specializing in in vitro tissue culture, somatic embryogenesis, and forest biotechnology, with an extensive research career at NEIKER-BRTA, where she currently serves as Principal Investigator. She holds a PhD in Biological Sciences (Premio Extraordinario, 2000) from the University of Oviedo, where she also obtained her Licenciatura in Biological Sciences. Dr. Moncaleán pioneered the in vitro culture and plant physiology research line at NEIKER, developing advanced protocols for somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis in Pinus species, alongside molecular, physiological, and morphological marker applications in juvenile and mature tissues. Her current work focuses on epigenetic modulation under abiotic stress to enhance stress tolerance in somatic plants. She has accumulating an estimated h-index of 22, over 1421 citations, and more than 73 research documents. Dr. Moncaleán has led competitive national and international projects, contributed to major technology-transfer initiatives in Spain, Chile, and Argentina, and serves on editorial boards of top journals including Frontiers in Plant Science, PLANTS, FORESTS, and Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture. Recognized for her leadership, she coordinates the IUFRO Unit 2.09.02 and continues advancing forest biotechnology for sustainable and resilient forestry systems.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Hurtado, M., Suarez-Álvarez, S., Castander-Olarieta, A., Montalbán, I. A., Goicoechea, P. G., López de Heredia, U., Marino, D., & Moncaleán, P. (2025). Physiological and molecular response to drought in somatic plants from Pinus radiata embryonal masses induced at high temperatures. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry.

Ochatt, S. J., Akin, M., Chan, M. T., Dolgov, S. V., Eimert, K., Flachowsky, H., Guo, W. W., Jiménez, V. M., Lambardi, M., Moncaleán, P., et al. (2025). Research is rendering the recalcitrant woody plants amenable to biotechnological approaches. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

Montalbán, I. A., Castander-Olarieta, A., Marques do Nascimento, A. M., Suárez-Álvarez, S., Herrán, A., Polesi, L. G., Back, F., Steiner, N., Guerra, M. P., & Moncaleán, P. (2024). Genetic stability, amino acid, and polyamine profile analyses in radiata pine somatic embryos maturated at high temperatures. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

Montalbán, I. A., Castander-Olarieta, A., Marques do Nascimento, A. M., Suárez-Álvarez, S., Herrán, A., Polesi, L. G., Steiner, N., Guerra, M. P., & Moncaleán, P. (2023). Genetic stability, amino acid and polyamine profile analyses in radiata pine somatic embryos maturated at high temperatures.

Ayala, L. P. E., Luna, C. V., Brugnoli, E. A., Espasandin, F. D., Duarte, M. J., González, A. M., Gauchat, M. E., Moncaleán Guillén, P., & Sansberro, P. A. (2023). Cryopreservation of mature zygotic embryos, shoot bud regeneration, and field establishment of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii × Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis in vitro-derived plants. Trees.

Md Arif Sakil | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Md Arif Sakil | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Bangladesh Agricultural University | Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Arif Sakil is an accomplished Bangladeshi scientist and academic currently serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. He earned his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Saitama University, Japan (2019–2022), and is presently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Meiji University, Japan. His research focuses on plant stress biology, molecular mechanisms of autophagy, nanobiotechnology, and genome editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas for improving plant resilience. Over his academic career, Dr. Sakil has published more than 30 peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters in reputed journals including Plant and Cell Physiology, Environmental and Experimental Botany, and CABI Agriculture and Bioscience. His outstanding scientific contributions have earned him multiple honors, including the prestigious President Gold Medal Award from Bangladesh Agricultural University (2023) and the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship. Dr. Sakil’s work on autophagy and plant stress mechanisms bridges fundamental biology with agricultural innovation. With a strong passion for sustainable agriculture and food security, he continues to pursue advanced biotechnological research that contributes to global agricultural resilience and scientific advancement.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Orcid

Featured Publications

Roy, A. R., Jahan, I., Mou, S. J., Hasin, M. F., Angon, P. B., Sultana, R., Mazumder, B., & Sakil, M. A. (2025). Function of biochar: Alleviation of heat stress in plants and improvement of soil microbial communities. Phyton, Advance online publication.

Jahan, I., Angon, P. B., Mou, S. J., Zannat, M., Antu, U. B., Alam, M. M., Sweety, A. A., Islam, M. S., & Sakil, M. A. (2025). The potential of CRISPR-Cas genome editing technologies to mitigate biotic stress in plants. CABI Agriculture and Bioscience.

Sarkar, R., Khatun, M. K., Sultana, M. A., Mustary, S., Rahman, M., Akter, T., Mortuza, M. G., Hannan, M. A., Sakil, M. A., & Haque, M. R. (2024). Effects of soaking duration on nutritional composition and total phenolic content of some selected lentil varieties of Bangladesh. Probe – Plant & Animal Sciences.

Sakil, M. A., Mukae, K., Bao, J., Sadhu, A., Roni, M. S., Inoue-Aono, Y., & Moriyasu, Y. (2023). Autophagy promotes cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide in Physcomitrium patens. Plant and Cell Physiology.

Mukae, K., Sakil, M. A., Kotake, T., Inoue-Aono, Y., & Moriyasu, Y. (2023). Autophagy accelerates cell death after desiccation and hydration stress in Physcomitrium. Environmental and Experimental Botany.

Lilya Boucelha | Plant Biotechnology | Women Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Lilya Boucelha | Plant Biotechnology | Women Researcher Award

Biologie-USTHB | Algeria

Lilya Boucelha is a Maître-de-conférences A at the Faculty of Biological Sciences, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene (USTHB, Algiers), working in the Plant Physiology team of the Laboratory of Biology and Physiology of Organisms. She holds a Master’s in Plant Science & Biotechnologies, a Licence in Plant Biology, Physiology & Genetics, and earned her Doctorate (LMD 3rd cycle) in Genetics, Molecular Plant Physiology & Microbiology (2015) with highest honours. Her research focuses on seed priming (hydro- and osmopriming), seed ageing, abiotic stress tolerance—particularly drought and salinity—and the role of silicon, proline, and redox status in enhancing plant resilience. With over a decade of teaching experience in stress physiology, eco-physiology, and plant biology, she has also served on pedagogical committees and program revision teams. Her funded projects span national and international programmes addressing drought and salinity tolerance, as well as seed quality improvement through priming and silicon-based treatments. She has published 16 international peer-reviewed papers, contributed to 60 conference presentations, and participated in several nationally funded research projects. Her publications have collectively received over 83 citations and an h-index of 5, reflecting steady recognition of her research contributions. In 2022, she was awarded the International Prize for Young Algerian Researchers for Best Oral Presentation within the framework of the PHC Maghreb project, recognizing her excellence in scientific communication and research innovation. Boucelha is also the principal author of the article “Is protein carbonylation a biomarker of seed priming and ageing?”, published in Functional Plant Biology (2021), highlighting her leading contribution to research on seed physiology and oxidative stress biomarkers. She exemplifies a dynamic early-career academic who effectively integrates dedicated teaching with impactful research promoting sustainable crop production under challenging environmental conditions.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar | Orcid

Featured Publications

Boucelha, L., Djebbar, R., & Benlahrech, S. (2025). The ambiguous role of silicon in the pregermination treatment of Vigna unguiculata seeds. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. Advance online publication.

Benlahrech, S., Boucelha, L., Cherchali, A., Djebbar, R., & Ounane, S. M. (2024). Characterization of non-rhizobial endophytic bacteria in Algerian cowpea root nodules: Unveiling potential for nitrogen fixation. Analele Universităţii din Oradea, Fascicula Biologie.

Gueridi, S., Boucelha, L., Abrous-Belbachir, O., & Djebbar, R. (2024). Effects of hormopriming and pretreatment with gibberellic acid on fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed germination. Acta Botanica Croatica.

Lamara, S., Boucelha, L., Djebbar, R., & Chabane, D. (2023). Antioxidant activities in Pimpinella anisum L. callus responding to PEG-6000-induced water stress under light (12 h photoperiod) and dark conditions. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

Beggah, S., Ellouzi, H., Boucelha, L., Zorrig, W., Djebbar, R., & Abrous-Belbachir, O. (2023). Ascorbate attenuates damages caused by paraquat-induced oxidative stress in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seedlings. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition,

Syed Inzimam Ul Haq | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Syed Inzimam Ul Haq | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Masaryk University, Czech Republic

Dr. Syed Inzimam Ul Haq is a passionate plant physiologist and PhD candidate at Masaryk University, Czechia, specializing in the analysis of photosynthetic activity using advanced biophysical methods such as in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence and spectral reflectance. With over 3 peer-reviewed publications and a strong research portfolio, he has an h-index of 1, over 13 citations. He holds an M.Phil. and BS in Botany from Islamia College Peshawar, Pakistan, and currently serves as a part-time cooperating staff member at the Department of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University. He has previously worked as a Lab Assistant and a Biology Teacher in Pakistan. His research interests include plant stress physiology, chlorophyll fluorescence, nanotechnology, CRISPR genome editing, and sustainable agriculture. He has presented his work at national and international conferences and mentored multiple undergraduate and postgraduate students. Notable projects include studies on the phytoremediation potential of crops and the physiological adaptation of plants under space-mimicking environments like Antarctic regolith. With a consistent Q1 publication record and international collaborations, Dr. Haq is committed to advancing knowledge in plant science and making impactful contributions to global agricultural sustainability.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Haq, S. I. U., Hájek, J., & Barták, M. (2025). From Antarctic regolith to lunar greenhouses: Mechanistic insights into Brassica rapa Photosystem II dynamics for sustainable space agriculture. Life Sciences in Space Research.

Haq, S. I. U., Tariq, F., Sama, N. U., Jamal, H., & Mohamed, I. H. (2025). Role of autophagy in plant growth and adaptation to salt stress. Planta, 261, 49.

Ullah, Z., Haq, S. I. U., Ullah, A., Asghar, M. A., Seleiman, M. F., Saleem, K., Zeng, F., Sama, N. U., Kamran, K., & Ahmad, S. (2024). Effect of green synthesized silver nanoparticles on growth and biochemical profile of Pearl millet under NaCl stress. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 1–20.

Haq, S. I. U., Zheng, D., Feng, N., Jiang, X., Qiao, F., He, J. S., & Qiu, Q. S. (2022). Progresses of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in forage crops. Journal of Plant Physiology, 179, 153860.

Xie, Y., Haq, S. I. U., Jiang, X., Zheng, D., Feng, N., Wang, W., He, J.-S., & Qiu, Q. S. (2022). Plant genome editing: CRISPR, base editing, prime editing, and beyond. Grassland Research, 1–10.

 

Azime Gökçe | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Azime Gökçe | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology | Turkey

Dr. Azime Gökçe is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Ege University, Türkiye, specializing in plant physiology and stress biology. She received her Ph.D. in Plant Physiology in 2023 and currently holds a TÜBİTAK 2218 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. Her research integrates molecular, biochemical, and physiological approaches to understand plant responses to abiotic stress, with a particular focus on redox homeostasis, ROS–RNS signalling, glutamate receptor-like (GLR) genes, nitric oxide pathways, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Dr. Gökçe has published impactful studies in journals such as Plant Cell Reports, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Plant Growth Regulation, and Journal of Plant Research. She has led and contributed to multiple national and international projects funded by TÜBİTAK and collaborated with institutions including Syngenta and the Olive Research Institute. Her work also explores seed priming and biostimulant strategies to improve crop resilience under salinity, drought, and biotic stresses. With active roles as a reviewer and editorial board member, she contributes to scientific knowledge dissemination. As an early-career researcher, she has established herself as a promising scientist in plant stress physiology, aiming to translate fundamental discoveries into agricultural sustainability solutions.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Sekmen Çetinel, A. H., Gokce, A., Erdik, E., Cetinel, B., & Cetinkaya, N. (2021). The effect of Trichoderma citrinoviride treatment under salinity combined with Rhizoctonia solani infection in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.). Agronomy.

Gokce, A., Sekmen Çetinel, A. H., & Turkan, I. (2024). Involvement of GLR-mediated nitric oxide effects on ROS metabolism in Arabidopsis plants under salt stress. Journal of Plant Research.

Sekmen Çetinel, A. H., Yalcinkaya, T., Akyol, T. Y., Gokce, A., & Turkan, I. (2021). Pretreatment of seeds with hydrogen peroxide improves deep-sowing tolerance of wheat seedlings. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry.

Gokce, A., Sekmen Çetinel, A. H., & Turkan, I. (2024). Carnitine modulates antioxidative defense in ABI2 mutant under salt stress. Plant Growth Regulation.

Sekmen Çetinel, A. H., Çetinel, B., Gokce, A., Tatli, C., & Erdik, E. (2022). Molecular mechanisms–relayed plant defense responses against fungal pathogens. In Phytomycology and Molecular Biology of Plant–Pathogen Interactions.

Nadia Daskalova | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nadia Daskalova | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

Technical University of Varna, Department Plant Production | Bulgaria

Dr. Nadia Georgieva Daskalova is an Associate Professor of Plant Breeding at the Technical University of Varna, with over 26 years of professional experience, including 17 years in research and 14 years in teaching. She earned her Master’s degree in Plant Protection from the Agricultural University of Plovdiv and completed her Ph.D. in Plant Breeding in 2015. Dr. Daskalova’s research focuses on cereals, particularly wheat, rye, and triticale, with special emphasis on genetic variability, disease resistance, and hybridization using embryo rescue techniques. She has successfully developed synthetic amphiploids and identified new genes in hexaploid wheat, contributing to grain quality improvement in bread wheat varieties. She has authored 16 peer-reviewed publications (2020–2024), multiple monographs, textbooks, and is engaged in national and international collaborative projects, including with Ukraine’s National Academy of Agrarian Sciences. Her work is widely recognized, with a citation record indexed in Scopus (h-index: 4) and multiple patents under process. Dr. Daskalova has served as an editorial reviewer for Springer Nature journals and actively participates in scientific committees and professional memberships. Her contributions advance sustainable cereal breeding and agricultural biotechnology, combining practical applications with academic excellence. She is a recipient of the International Plant Scientist Awards, reflecting her commitment to innovation and global impact in plant breeding and genetics.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Daskalova, N., & Spetsov, P. (2025). Variation in rye (Secale cereale L.) inbred lines with different type of glaucousness. Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology. Advance online publication.

Daskalova, N., Georgieva, M., Angelova, R., & Spetsov, P. (2023). Agronomic performance of introgression lines derived from a cross of common wheat with synthetic hexaploid amphiploid 530-1. Journal of Central European Agriculture.

Spetsov, P., & Daskalova, N. (2023). Genetic basis of pest resistance in wheat-rye and triticale stocks. Cytology and Genetics.

Spetsov, P., & Daskalova, N. (2022). Resistance to pathogens in wheat-rye and triticale genetic stocks. Journal of Plant Pathology.

Daskalova, N., Doneva, S., & Spetsov, P. (2021). Characterization of triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) accessions and reciprocal hybrids possessing wheat 1D chromosome. Agriculturae Conspectus Scientificus.