Ekta Pandey | Plant Stress Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Botany Scientist

Ms. Ekta Pandey | Plant Stress Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Research Scholar at Aligarh Muslim University | India

Ms. Ekta Pandey is a dedicated research scholar at Aligarh Muslim University specializing in Environmental Stress Plant Physiology with a strong focus on salinity tolerance, plant–microbe interactions and sustainable crop improvement approaches, recognized for her emerging contributions to abiotic stress biology through influential publications including Potential Uses of Nanotechnology in Agriculture Sustainability: Concerns Now Raised, Salinity: Its Influence on the Environment and Sustainable Agriculture and the Strategies Involving Phytoprotectants Against It, Prospects for the Use of Metabolomics Engineering in Exploring and Harnessing Chemical Signaling in Root Galls, Plant Metabolomics Based on Single-Cell Technology, Dissecting Stress-Tolerant Traits of CRISPR-Edited Crops by High-Throughput Omics Technologies, and Resilient Capacity Against Rising Temperature Gained by Coordinated Approaches of CRISPR/Cas with Functional Genomics, along with impactful journal contributions such as AMF-Mediated Mitigation of Cd-Induced Toxicity in Cicer arietinum, Application of Rhizobium Alleviates Cadmium Stress-Induced Damage to Growth and Yield, Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Induced Protection: A Plant Immunity Perspective, Morphological and Biochemical Responses of Vicia faba Grown on Fly Ash Amended Soil, Mitigating Salt Stress in Lens culinaris Through Rhizobium-Enhanced Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Defense, From Stress to Strength: Improving Fenugreek Seed Germination Under Saline Conditions with Moringa Leaf Extract Priming, and Linking the Interaction of Salicylates and Jasmonates for Stress Resilience in Plants, reflecting her expertise in physiological, biochemical and molecular strategies that strengthen plant adaptation under harsh environments; her academic journey is further distinguished by multiple book chapters, collaborative research works, peer-review service for reputed international journals, and ongoing scientific contributions that aim to advance climate-resilient agriculture, enhance crop productivity under salinity stress, and develop innovative biostimulant-based and microbe-assisted solutions for future sustainable farming systems.

Profile : Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications : 

Kumari, R., Pandey, E., Bushra, S., Faizan, S., & Pandey, S. (2024). Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) induced protection: A plant immunity perspective. Physiologia Plantarum, 176(5), e14495.

Bushra, S., Faizan, S., Badar, A., Pandey, E., Kumari, R., & Akhtar, M. S. (2024). AMF-mediated mitigation of Cd-induced toxicity in Cicer arietinum and their influence on growth, photosynthesis efficiency, cell viability, antioxidants and yield attributes. South African Journal of Botany, 164, 9–22.

Bushra, S., Faizan, S., Badar, A., Kumari, R., & Pandey, E. (2024). Application of rhizobium alleviates the cadmium stress-induced damage to growth, photosynthetic efficiency, cell viability and yield by up-regulating antioxidants in Cicer arietinum L. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 43(6), 2014–2026.

Khan, F., Pandey, E., Fatima, S., Khan, A., Zeb, S. Z., & Ahmad, F. (2023). Prospects for the use of metabolomics engineering in exploring and harnessing chemical signaling in root galls. In Root-Galling Disease of Vegetable Plants (pp. 309–338). Springer.

Hussain, A., Faizan, S., Kumari, R., & Pandey, E. (2024). Morphological and biochemical responses of Vicia faba grown on fly ash amended soil in the presence of Rhizobium leguminosarum and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31(31), 44361–44373.

 

Maria Gerakari | Agronomy | Young Scientist Award

Published on by Botany Scientist

Dr. Maria Gerakari | Agronomy | Young Scientist Award

Plant Breeding at Agricultural University of Athens | Greece

Dr. Maria Gerakari is a highly dedicated agronomist whose research in plant breeding and genetics focuses on developing high-yield and stress-tolerant crop varieties, particularly legumes and vegetables of nutritional and economic importance. With a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics and a Master’s in Sustainable Agriculture and Agro-Meteorology from the Agricultural University of Athens, she combines deep scientific knowledge with innovative research applications. Her professional experience includes serving as a research assistant in multiple European and national projects, contributing to experimental design, biochemical analyses, and advanced molecular techniques such as DNA/RNA extraction, gene expression studies, qPCR, and transcriptome sequencing. Dr. Gerakari has published 17 research papers cited in 208 documents, achieving an h-index of 5, reflecting her growing influence in agronomy research. Her research interests encompass sustainable agriculture, genetic improvement, and crop resilience to environmental stress. She has participated in international collaborations, including a Short-Term Scientific Mission at Goethe University in Frankfurt, and gained valuable experience in agricultural industry settings. Recognized for academic excellence, she graduated with distinction and continues to contribute innovative approaches to sustainable crop productivity. Her achievements exemplify scientific rigor, collaboration, and a commitment to advancing modern agricultural science and global food security.

Profile : Scopus | Google Scholar | ORCID

Featured Publications

Kapazoglou, A., Gerakari, M., Lazaridi, E., Kleftogianni, K., Sarri, E., & Tani, E., et al. (2023). Crop wild relatives: A valuable source of tolerance to various abiotic stresses. Plants, 12(2), 328.

Mladenov, V., Fotopoulos, V., Kaiserli, E., Karalija, E., Maury, S., Baranek, M., et al. (2021). Deciphering the epigenetic alphabet involved in transgenerational stress memory in crops. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(13), 7118.

Kapazoglou, A., Tani, E., Avramidou, E. V., Abraham, E. M., Gerakari, M., et al. (2021). Epigenetic changes and transcriptional reprogramming upon woody plant grafting for crop sustainability in a changing environment. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 613004.

Lazaridi, E., Kapazoglou, A., Gerakari, M., Kleftogianni, K., Passa, K., Sarri, E., et al. (2024). Crop landraces and indigenous varieties: A valuable source of genes for plant breeding. Plants, 13(6), 758.

Kapazoglou, A., Gerakari, M., Lazaridi, E., Kleftogianni, K., Sarri, E., & Tani, E., et al. (2023). Crop wild relatives: a valuable source of tolerance to various abiotic stresses. Plants, 12(2), 328.