Muhammad Usman | Soil Science | Editorial Board Member

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Dr. Muhammad Usman | Soil Science | Editorial Board Member

University of Agriculture Faisalabad | Pakistan

Muhammad Usman is a soil scientist and emerging environmental researcher whose work focuses on soil contamination, heavy metal dynamics, nanoparticles in agriculture, salinity tolerance, and sustainable crop production systems. He holds a PhD in Soil Science from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, where he also earned his MSc (Hons.) and BSc (Hons.) in Agriculture with specialization in Soil Science. with publications appearing in Chemosphere, Environmental Research, Environmental Pollution, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Plants, Phyton, and Arabian Journal of Geosciences. His research contributions include investigating Cd bioavailability, biochar amendments, nano-fertilizers, salinity stress mitigation, and nutrient dynamics in major crops such as wheat, rice, maize, and lettuce. Professionally, he has served as a Teaching Assistant at the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences (UAF) and has industry experience as a Technical Fertilizer Advisor with FMC United Pvt. Ltd. He has attended multiple national and international trainings and received the prestigious ICOBTE-ICHMET 2023 Conference Scholarship for Junior Scientists in Germany. Usman actively contributes to scientific publishing as an editorial board member and peer reviewer. He aims to advance sustainable agriculture through innovative soil management solutions and environmentally safe technologies.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Shaghaleh, H., Akram, T., Zia-ur-Rehman, M., Usman, M., Alhaj Hamoud, Y., Rizwan, M., Alharby, H. F., Alamri, A. M., Alharbi, B. M., & Abdulmajeed, A. M. (2025). Acid-modified biochar mitigates salt stress in maize by enhancing nutrient availability and antioxidant defense system under variable salt-affected soils. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition.

Muhammad Zia-ur-Rehman, Usman, M., Ahmed, R., Ahmad, A., Akram, T., Maqsood, A., & Aslam, H. (2025). Precision input management for reducing resource wastage and enhancing production efficiency. Agriculture Toward Net Zero Emissions.

Ali, A. A., Lamlom, S. F., El-Sorady, G., Elmahdy, A. M., Abd Elghany, S. H., Usman, M., Alamri, A., Shaghaleh, H., Alhaj Hamoud, Y., & Abdelghany, A. M. (2024). Boosting resilience and yields in water-stressed sunflower through coordinated irrigation scheduling and silica gel applications. Heliyon,.

Alhaj Hamoud, Y., Shaghaleh, H., Zia-ur-Rehman, M., Rizwan, M., Umair, M., Usman, M., Ayub, M. A., Riaz, U., Alnusairi, G. S. H., & Alghanem, S. M. S. (2024). Cadmium and lead accumulation in important food crops due to wastewater irrigation: Pollution index and health risks assessment. Heliyon.

Alhaj Hamoud, Y., Zia-ur-Rehman, M., Kakakhel, I. A. M., Usman, M., Rizwan, M., Shaghaleh, H., Mohiuddin, G., Alzahrani, Y. M., Alharby, H. F., & Alsamadany, H. (2024). Comparative effects of micron-sized silicon sources and Si nanoparticles on growth, defense system and cadmium accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated in Cd-contaminated soil. Environmental Technology & Innovation,

Fahim Hussain Shah | Plant Sciences | Editorial Board Member

Published on by Plant Scientist

Dr. Fahim Hussain Shah | Plant Sciences | Editorial Board Member

Department of Plant science, Faculty of biological science Quaid-i-Azam University | Pakistan

Fahim Hussain Shah is an emerging plant scientist whose research spans plant science, mycology, plant–microbe interactions, phycology, and plant pathology, with a strong focus on fungal biodiversity and its ethnomycological significance. He holds an M.Phil in Plant Science from Quaid-i-Azam University, where he conducted extensive studies on the morpho-genetic identification and medicinal potential of wild macrofungi from Pakistan. His academic foundation also includes a Bachelor’s degree in Botany, complemented by professional teaching qualifications. Fahim has published impactful research on macrofungi, microalgae, saline-tolerant microbial strains, and fungal taxonomy, contributing significantly to biodiversity documentation and sustainable agricultural approaches. His technical expertise includes DNA extraction, PCR, phylogenetic analysis, bioinformatics, phytochemical testing, and microalgae purification. He has worked in administrative roles and actively participates in scientific conferences and workshops. As a journal reviewer, he supports the scientific community through evaluations in ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology. His research interests revolve around genomics-based crop improvement, plant–microbe interactions for stress tolerance, fungal systematics, and the application of traditional knowledge in biotechnology. Fahim aims to integrate modern molecular tools with ecological insights to advance sustainable agriculture, strengthen disease management strategies, and promote the conservation and scientific utilization of Pakistan’s rich fungal and plant biodiversity.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Shah, F. H., Azeem, M. A., Ullah, T., Mumtaz, A. S., Shah, S. A., Khan, M. B., Karunarathna, S. C., Elgorban, A. M., & Kiran, M. (2025). From wild ecosystem to the pharmaceutical use–Exploring the traditional medicine and socio-cultural heritage of macrofungi from Pakistan. New Zealand Journal of Botany.

Shah, F. H., Kiran, M., Khan, M. B., Basit, A., Elgorban, A. M., Ahmad, M., Ullah, T., Mumtaz, A. S., & Sana. (2025). Morphology and phylogeny of gasteroids and two novel hosts for Pisolithus albus (Sclerodermataceae) from Pakistan. New Zealand Journal of Botany.

Ishaq, M., Khan, M. B., Shah, F. H., Fiaz, M., & Khalid, A. N. (2024). A new species of Agaricus: Agaricus totalaiiensis in section Minores from Pakistan.

Ullah, T., Ullah, K., Saba, M., & Shah, F. H. (2023). Conocybe karakensis sp. nov. (Bolbitiaceae, Agaricales) from Pakistan. Phytotaxa.

Azeem, M. A., Shah, F. H., Ullah, A., Ali, K., Jones, D. A., Khan, M. E. H., & Ashraf, A. (2022). Biochemical characterization of halotolerant Bacillus safensis PM22 and its potential to enhance growth of maize under salinity stress. Plants,

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.

Hieronim Golczyk | Plant Genetics | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hieronim Golczyk | Plant Genetics | Best Researcher Award

The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin | Poland

Dr. Hieronim Golczyk is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Biological Sciences, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland. He earned his Habilitation in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Cytogenetics and Genetics from Adam Mickiewicz University in 2015. With over two decades of academic experience, including positions at the Jagiellonian University and collaborations with leading European research centers such as IPK Gatersleben and the Max Planck Institute, Dr. Golczyk has established himself as a distinguished figure in molecular cytogenetics. His research focuses on chromosome structure and function, genome evolution, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methodologies, and organelle genetics. He has pioneered several innovative cytogenetic techniques, including ImmunoFISH and EC-FISH, and contributed to landmark discoveries on genome transfer and chloroplast competition published in Nature and Plant Cell. Dr. Golczyk has authored over 60 scientific papers with an h-index of 16, more than 830 citations, and over 34 document reads. His achievements have been recognized by multiple Polish Genetic Society Awards and Rector’s Awards. As an active reviewer, educator, and member of advisory scientific boards, Dr. Golczyk continues to advance the understanding of genetic mechanisms underlying plant evolution and genome architecture.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Golczyk, H. (2025). A new efficient immunoprotocol to detect chromosomal/nuclear proteins along with repetitive DNA in squash preparations of formalin-fixed, long-stored root tips. Plant Methods.

Jach, M. E. (2023). The role of probiotics and their metabolites in the treatment of depression. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.

Golczyk, H., Hřibová, E., Doležel, J., Cuadrado, Á., Garbsch, F., Greiner, S., Janeczko, M., Szklarczyk, M., Masłyk, M., & Kubiński, K. (2022). Migration of repetitive DNAs during evolution of the permanent translocation heterozygosity in the oyster plant (Tradescantia section Rhoeo).