Mahendar Thudi | Plant Genetics | Editorial Board Member

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Dr. Mahendar Thudi | Plant Genetics | Editorial Board Member

Fort Valley State university | United States

Mahendar Thudi, PhD, is a distinguished plant geneticist and genomics researcher currently serving as a Research Professional at Fort Valley State University, Georgia, and Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. He previously worked as Associate Professor at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University and spent over a decade at ICRISAT contributing extensively to chickpea genomics and molecular breeding. Dr. Thudi holds a PhD in Plant Sciences (2010) from the University of Hyderabad, an MS in Plant Biotechnology, and a BS in Agriculture. His research spans genetics and plant breeding, genomics, multi-omics, biotic and abiotic stress biology, and crop improvement in chickpea, sorghum, pearl millet, lentils, peanut, and wheat. Dr. Thudi has received several honors, including the Fellow of Telangana Academy of Sciences and multiple Exceptional Scientific Article Awards. With active international collaborations and editorial roles in leading journals, he continues to advance genomics-based breeding and global food security.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Varshney, R. K., Song, C., Saxena, R. K., Azam, S., Yu, S., Sharpe, A. G., Cannon, S., … (2013). Draft genome sequence of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) provides a resource for trait improvement. Nature Biotechnology.

Varshney, R. K., Shi, C., Thudi, M., Mariac, C., Wallace, J., Qi, P., Zhang, H., Zhao, Y., … (2017). Pearl millet genome sequence provides a resource to improve agronomic traits in arid environments. Nature Biotechnology.

Varshney, R. K., Thudi, M., Nayak, S. N., Gaur, P. M., Kashiwagi, J., … (2014). Genetic dissection of drought tolerance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Theoretical and Applied Genetics.

Varshney, R. K., Thudi, M., Roorkiwal, M., He, W., Upadhyaya, H. D., Yang, W., … (2019). Resequencing of 429 chickpea accessions from 45 countries provides insights into genome diversity, domestication and agronomic traits. Nature Genetics.

Thudi, M., Upadhyaya, H. D., Rathore, A., Gaur, P. M., Krishnamurthy, L., … (2014). Genetic dissection of drought and heat tolerance in chickpea through genome-wide and candidate gene-based association mapping approaches.

Wohor Zakaria Osman | Weed Science | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Wohor Zakaria Osman | Weed Science | Best Researcher Award

CSIC- Institute for sustainable agriculture | Ghana

Dr Osman Zakaria Wohor earned a BSc in Agricultural Technology (Agronomy) from the University for Development Studies, Ghana, before completing a Post-Graduate Diploma and an MSc (Cum laude) in International Plant Breeding at the CIHEAM-MAZ (Zaragoza) and the University of Lleida, Spain. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics at the University of Córdoba (2019-2025) with distinction. Dr Wohor serves as a Post-Doctoral Associate and Plant Breeder at the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (CSIC-IAS) in Córdoba, leading a soybean breeding programme targeting Mediterranean environments and contributing to a pea-resistance breeding initiative focused on Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. pisi and Orobanche crenata. His research interests centre on germplasm assembly, phenotyping, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and breeding crop resilience in legume systems. Dr Wohor has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications to date 4documents with a citation count of approximately 44 citations, and an estimated h-index of 3. In summary, Dr Wohor is a dynamic plant breeder bridging global germplasm resources, cutting-edge genomics and applied varietal development in legume crops.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Rispail, N., Wohor, O. Z., Osuna-Caballero, S., Barilli, E., & Rubiales, D. (2023). Genetic diversity and population structure of a wide Pisum spp. core collection. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Wohor, O. Z., Rispail, N., Ojiewo, C. O., & Rubiales, D. (2022). Pea breeding for resistance to rhizospheric pathogens. Plants.

Osuna-Caballero, S., Cobos, M. J., Ruiz, C. M., Wohor, O. Z., Rispail, N., & Rubiales, D. (2024). Genome-wide association studies on resistance to pea weevil: Identification of novel sources of resistance and associated markers. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Denwar, N. N., & Wohor, Z. (2012). Development of improved soybean varieties adapted to the agro-ecologies and farming systems of the Savanna zones of northern Ghana. CSIR-Savannah Agricultural Research Institute Annual Report.

Rispail, N., Wohor, O. Z., Osuna-Caballero, S., Barilli, E., & Rubiales, D. (2022). Dataset for “Genetic diversity and population structure of a wide Pisum spp. core collection.” Zenodo.

Adane Gebeyehu | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Adane Gebeyehu | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | Sweden

Dr. Adane Gebeyehu Demissie is a distinguished plant genomics and biotechnology researcher with over 12 years of experience advancing genomic innovations for crop improvement. He holds a PhD in Biotechnology from Addis Ababa University in collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), an MSc in Plant Biotechnology from Wageningen University, and an MSc in Plant Breeding from Bahir Dar University. His research integrates genomics-assisted breeding, QTL mapping, GWAS, genomic selection, RNA-seq, and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to develop climate-resilient oilseed and cereal crops. With an h-index of 3, more than 23 citations, and over 4 scientific documents, Dr. Demissie has published extensively in high-impact journals including Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Plant Science, and Agronomy. His professional experience spans postdoctoral research at SLU, senior research roles at Ethiopia’s Bio and Emerging Technology Institute, and lecturing positions where he designed the first BSc curriculum in Agricultural Biotechnology in Ethiopia. He has secured competitive grants from Carl-Tryggers Foundation, Sida-SLU, and the Ethiopian Science Foundation, and received prestigious recognitions such as the Young Scientist Award from the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences. Passionate about mentoring and policy development, Dr. Demissie continues to bridge cutting-edge genomics with agricultural innovation to enhance global food security.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

“Transcriptome analysis identifies genes regulating self-compatibility, flowering time, and oil biosynthesis in Noug (Guizotia abyssinica)”

“SNP-based linkage mapping reveals novel quantitative trait loci for yield traits in noug (Guizotia abyssinica (L. f.) Cass.)”

“Temperature affects major fatty acid biosynthesis in noug (Guizotia abyssinica) self-compatible lines”

“Sesame, an Underutilized Oil Seed Crop: Breeding Achievements and Future Challenges”

“RNA-Seq Provides Novel Genomic Resources for Noug (Guizotia abyssinica) and Reveals Microsatellite Frequency and Distribution in Its Transcriptome”

MUSLIM QADIR | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. MUSLIM QADIR | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

South China Agricultural University | China

Author Profile

Scopus
Orcid ID
Google Scholar

👨‍🔬 Summary:

Dr. Muslim Qadir is a dedicated researcher specializing in crop genetics and plant breeding with a strong focus on reproductive biology, stress physiology, and genome-editing technologies. He has advanced experience in GWAS, QTL mapping, transcriptomics, proteomics, and phytohormonal analysis. Currently affiliated with the College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University (SCAU), Guangzhou, China, Dr. Qadir actively contributes to translational research for sustainable agriculture and crop improvement.

🎓 Education:

He holds a Ph.D. in Crop Genetics and Breeding from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Wuhan (2019–2022), a Master’s in Biology (Plant Breeding and Genetics) from Southwest University of Science and Technology, Sichuan (2016–2018), and a B.Sc. in Agriculture from LUAWMS, Pakistan (2012–2016).

💼 Professional Experience:

Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at SCAU (2024–Present), he has also served as a Research Associate at UAE University (2023), working on transcriptomic profiling in date palm, and as a Research Assistant at various institutions including LUAWMS and RRI-China. His career spans physiological studies in cotton, wheat, and rice, to functional genomics in rapeseed.

📚 Academic Citations & Publications:

Dr. Qadir has authored multiple peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Frontiers in Plant Science, Genome Editing, BMC Plant Biology, and Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology. His notable publications explore ovule development, CRISPR/Cas9, stress resilience, biocontrol mechanisms, and soil remediation strategies. His cumulative citations reflect a growing international academic impact.

🧪 Technical Skills:

He possesses expertise in GWAS, QTL mapping, bioinformatics, high-throughput phenotyping, phytohormone quantification, antioxidant assays, gene expression analysis, tissue culture, DNA/RNA extraction, and functional genomics tools like CRISPR. He is proficient in statistical and molecular software tools and has hands-on field and lab experience.

🎓 Teaching Experience:

Dr. Qadir has mentored students in experimental design, data interpretation, and thesis writing during his research tenure. He has actively engaged in research training workshops and collaborative scientific projects, both in China and the UAE.

🌱 Research Interests:

His core research areas include plant reproductive genetics, seed trait development, stress physiology, plant–environment interaction, genome editing for climate resilience, and integrated crop management. His research aims to enhance productivity and sustainability in oilseed, cereal, and fruit crops.

📖Publications

Genome-Wide Identification of Chitinase Gene Family in Barley (Hordeum vulgare): Insights into Stress Response Mechanisms and Evolutionary Dynamics

    • Authors: Muslim Qadir Baloch; Irfan Ali Sabir; Farhan Nabi; Aamir Manzoor; Fazal Ullah; Muhammad Saeed; Abeer Hashem; Jawaher Alkahtani; Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah

    • Journal: BMC Plant Biology

    • Year: 2025

CRISPR/Cas9: a sustainable technology to enhance climate resilience in major Staple Crops

    • Authors: Navjot Kaur; Muslim Qadir; Dali V. Francis; Anshu Alok; Siddharth Tiwari; Zienab F. R. Ahmed

    • Journal: Frontiers in Genome Editing

    • Year: 2025

Dissection of the genetic basis and molecular mechanism of ovule number per ovary in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)

    • Authors: Muslim Qadir Baloch; Xinyi Lin; Farhan Nabi; Kishore Kumar Ashok; Xue-Rong Zhou; Qingbin Sun; Peiman Shi; Xinfa Wang; Jiaqin Shi

    • Journal: Frontiers in Plant Science

    • Year: 2025

Enhancing crop resilience by harnessing the synergistic effects of biostimulants against abiotic stress

    • Authors: Anam Asif; Muslim Qadir; Maratab Ali; Rajmohan Karthikeyan; Zora Singh; Ravjit Khangura; Francesco Di Gioia; Zienab F. R. Ahmed

    • Journal: Frontiers in Plant Science

    • Year: 2023

 Genetic dissection of the natural variation of ovule number per ovary in oilseed rape germplasm (Brassica napus L.)

    • Authors: Muslim Qadir Baloch

    • Journal: Frontiers in Plant Science

    • Year: 2022