San Nyunt Nan | Sustainable Agriculture | Research Excellence Award

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Ms. San Nyunt Nan | Sustainable Agriculture | Research Excellence Award

National Taiwan University | Taiwan

Nan San Nyunt is an agricultural professional from a farming community with a strong focus on climate-smart agriculture, crop modeling, and sustainable farming practices. She earned her M.Sc. in Global Agriculture Technology and Genomic Science from National Taiwan University, where she conducted research on climate change risk assessment and adaptation strategies for potato production in Myanmar using the DSSAT model. Her bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science from Yezin Agricultural University involved experimental work on controlling root-knot nematodes in tomato crops. Nan has extensive experience working with NGOs and international organizations, leading farmer-centered initiatives, capacity-building programs, and agricultural innovation projects. She co-founded Taungthutada (TTTD), managing projects aimed at food security, women’s empowerment in agribusiness, and improving access to innovative agricultural services. Her roles include research assistant and teaching assistant at National Taiwan University, where she focuses on crop modeling, crop rotation simulations, and research manuscript preparation. She has presented her work at international conferences and published research on the impacts of climate change on potato production. Nan’s interests include crop modeling, agronomic research, climate adaptation strategies, and sustainable agricultural value chains. She has been recognized with the NTU-SEARCA Joint Scholarship for her academic and research excellence. Nan continues to bridge research and practice to advance climate-resilient agriculture.

Profile : Orcid

Featured Publication

Sanjay Kumar Katiyar | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. Sanjay Kumar Katiyar | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

CGIAR- AfricaRice | Côte d’Ivoire

Dr. Sanjay Kumar Katiyar is an accomplished geneticist and global agricultural research leader with over three decades of expertise in crop breeding, genetics, and agricultural innovation. He earned his Ph.D. in Genetics from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and completed postdoctoral research at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Currently serving as Program Leader for Genetic Diversity & Improvement at CGIAR-AfricaRice, Director of the CGIAR Global Rice Breeding Platform (AfricaRice, IRRI, and CIAT), and Co-Lead of CGIAR’s Breeding for Tomorrow—Accelerated Breeding, he provides strategic and scientific leadership across global breeding initiatives. Dr. Katiyar’s career spans leading roles in CGIAR centers (IRRI, CIMMYT, AfricaRice), multinational seed industries (ADVANTA, BIOSEEDS), and public research institutions (IGKV). His research focuses on accelerated and predictive breeding, genomic selection, gene editing, and data-driven crop improvement for sustainable agriculture and climate resilience. He has secured over $50 million in competitive research grants. Recognized for his leadership and capacity building, Dr. Katiyar has trained over 1,000 scientists and supervised 80 postgraduate researchers, contributing significantly to global food security and the modernization of plant breeding programs across Asia and Africa.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Juma, R. U., Bartholomé, J., Thathapalli Prakash, P., Hussain, W., Platten, J. D., Katiyar, S. K., … (2021). Identification of an elite core panel as a key breeding resource to accelerate the rate of genetic improvement for irrigated rice. Rice.

Nguyen, V. H., Morantte, R. I. Z., Lopena, V., Verdeprado, H., Murori, R., Katiyar, S. K., … (2023). Multi-environment genomic selection in rice elite breeding lines. Rice.

Subbaiyan, G. K., Waters, D. L. E., Katiyar, S. K., Sadananda, A. R., Vaddadi, S., … (2012). Genome‐wide DNA polymorphisms in elite indica rice inbreds discovered by whole‐genome sequencing. Plant Biotechnology Journa.

Katiyar, S. K., Tan, Y., Huang, B., Chandel, G., Xu, Y., Zhang, Y., Xie, Z., & Bennett, J. (2001). Molecular mapping of gene Gm-6 (t) which confers resistance against four biotypes of Asian rice gall midge in China. Theoretical and Applied Genetics.

Kottapalli, P., Gaur, P. M., Katiyar, S. K., Crouch, J. H., Buhariwalla, H. K., Pande, S., … (2009). Mapping and validation of QTLs for resistance to an Indian isolate of Ascochyta blight pathogen in chickpea. Euphytica,

Urjashi Bhattacharya | Agronomic Practices | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Urjashi Bhattacharya | Agronomic Practices | Best Researcher Award

The Neotia University | India

Dr. U. Bhattacharya is an agronomy scholar and educator with a doctoral degree specializing in conservation agriculture, climate-smart farming, and integrated nutrient management. Over four years as a university research scholar, she has conducted intensive research on rice–pulse cropping systems, focusing on enhancing ecosystem services (soil, air, and water) in the Gangetic Plains through sustainable agronomic practices. Her M.Sc. work examined the effects of nitrogen levels on a heat-tolerant potato variety, while her Ph.D. thesis explored the management of rice followed by lentil under conservation tillage and varying nutrient doses. She participated in the SRFSI project (in collaboration with ACIAR) in the Eastern Gangetic Plains, gaining experience in resilient farming system intensification. Dr. Bhattacharya is proficient in experiment planning, statistical analysis, instrument handling, and scientific communication, and has presented her research at several national and international seminars on soil health, sustainable agriculture, agrochemicals, climate resilience, and biodiversity. She has published multiple peer-reviewed papers in crop science and agronomy, holds an h-index of 4 with six publications and 294 citations, and has received certificates of excellence in peer review along with a design patent for a portable crop diagnostic spectrometer. Passionate about advancing agricultural education and research, she aspires to excel as a faculty member in plant science academia, inspiring students through innovative teaching and pursuing high-impact interdisciplinary research in sustainable agriculture.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Bhattacharya, U., & Sarkar, S. (2018). Conservation agriculture: A climate-smart approach to achieve zero hunger. Current Advances in Agricultural Sciences, 18(2), 78–83.

Bhattacharya, U., Saha, A., & Saha, A. (2019). Response of heat tolerant variety (Kufri Surya) of potato (Solanum tuberosum) under different levels of nitrogen. Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 37(1), 1–7.

Bhattacharya, U., Sarkar, S., & Dewanjee, S. (2019). Bio-efficacy evaluation of oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC for controlling weeds in potato crop. Journal of Crop and Weed, 15(3), 201–208.

Maitra, S., Hossain, A., Brestic, M., Skalicky, M., Ondrisik, P., Gitari, H., Brahmachari, K., Shankar, T., Bhadra, P., Palai, J. B., Jena, J., Bhattacharya, U., Duvvada, S. K., Lalichetti, S., & Sairam, M. (2021). Intercropping—A low input agricultural strategy for food and environmental security. Agronomy, 11(2), 1–28.

Bhattacharya, U., Naskar, M. K., Venugopalan, V. K., Sarkar, S., Bandopadhyay, P., Maitra, S., Gaber, A., Alsuhaibani, A. M., & Hossain, A. (2023). Implications of minimum tillage and integrated nutrient management on yield and soil health of rice-lentil cropping system – being a resource conservation technology. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7, Article 1225986.

Rattan Lal | Soil Science | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Rattan Lal | Soil Science | Best Researcher Award

The Ohio State University | United States

Author Profile

Scopus

🎓 Education

Dr. Lal earned his B.Sc. in Agriculture (1963) from PAU, India, followed by an M.Sc. in Soils (1965) from IARI, New Delhi. He completed his Ph.D. in Soils (1968) at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. He has received multiple honorary doctorates from globally recognized institutions, underscoring his academic impact.

💼 Professional Experience

Dr. Lal has served in numerous high-impact roles, including Director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center (OSU), Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for the U.S. Department of Defense (2023–2024), and Member of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD, 2022–2025). He has held academic and research positions across continents—India, Australia, Nigeria, Germany, and the USA. He is also affiliated with institutions such as the UNCCD, IUSS, and IFDC and continues to influence global soil and environmental policy through advisory roles.

🏛️ Academic and Scientific Citations

Dr. Lal has been Editor-in-Chief of Advances in Soil Science, Encyclopedia of Soil Science, and Soil & Tillage Research. He has authored or co-authored thousands of scientific papers and reports, contributing to major IPCC assessments and global initiatives like “4 per Thousand.” His citation metrics place him among the top-ranked agricultural scientists globally.

🧪 Technical Skills

Expertise in soil physics, carbon sequestration, climate change mitigation, sustainable land management, agroecology, and nutrient cycling. He is proficient in both field and lab-based methodologies, modeling carbon fluxes, and advising on large-scale environmental assessments.

🎓 Teaching Experience

A lifelong educator, Dr. Lal has taught soil science at The Ohio State University since 1989, mentoring countless graduate students and researchers worldwide. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at several institutions, including the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and the University of Iceland, influencing agricultural education across borders.

🔬 Research Interests

Dr. Lal’s research spans soil health, soil carbon dynamics, climate change adaptation and mitigation, food security, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable agriculture. His interdisciplinary approach connects soil science with climate resilience, human health, and global development.

📖Publications

INTEGRATION OF COMPOST WITH MINERAL NPK FERTILIZERS FOR IMPROVING WHEAT YIELD AND SOIL HEALTH

  • Authors: Abdul A. Basir, Sikandar S. Iqbal, Muhammad M. Adnan, Zeki Z. Erden, Ayman El A.E. Sabagh

  • Journal: Pakistan Journal of Botany

  • Year: 2025

No-till systems restore soil organic carbon stock in Brazilian biomes and contribute to the climate solution

  • Authors: João Carlos De Moraes J.C.D.M. Sá, Rattan A. R.A. Lal, Klaus E. K.E. Lorenz, Daniel Ruiz Potma D.R.P. Gonçalves, Jeankleber J. Bortoluzzi

  • Journal: Science of the Total Environment

  • Year: 2025

Soil organic carbon stock for carbon credit in smallholder farms

  • Authors: Toru T. Nakajima, Fune F. Mizumoto, Mei M. Akiyama, Carla C. Gavilán, Rattan A. R.A. Lal

  • Journal: Agrosystems, Geosciences and Environment

  • Year: 2025

Restoring Soil Organic Matter Content for Managing Soil Health in Africa’s Agroecoregions

  • Author: Rattan A. R.A. Lal

  • Journal: Egyptian Journal of Soil Science

  • Year: 2025

Effects of biochar and cover crops on physical properties of two soils in Ohio

  • Authors: Sandhya S. Karki, Raj Kumar R.K. Shrestha, Rattan A. R.A. Lal, Klaus E. K.E. Lorenz, Laura E. L.E. Lindsey

  • Journal: Soil Science Society of America Journal

  • Year: 2025