Ekta Pandey | Plant Stress Physiology | Best Researcher Award

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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.

 

Jawad Hussain | Ecology | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Jawad Hussain | Ecology | Best Researcher Award

Research Assistant at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad | Pakistan

Mr. Jawad Hussain is a Pakistani researcher and nature enthusiast specializing in Plant Ecology, Phytogeography, Endemism, Ethnobotany, and Conservation, with an exceptional academic record and research experience that spans ecological modeling, biodiversity assessment, and environmental sustainability. He holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Plant Sciences from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad—Pakistan’s top-ranked research institution—where his thesis focused on the ethno-ecological studies and species distribution modeling of selected medicinal endemic plants from Northern Pakistan, reflecting his deep commitment to plant conservation and ecological balance. His scientific work integrates ecosystem ecology, species distribution modeling (SDM), GIS mapping, phytoremediation, vegetation and population ecology, and climate change assessment, advancing the understanding of biotic-abiotic interactions and their influence on species survival under changing climatic scenarios. Jawad has contributed to several impactful publications in high-impact journals such as Journal of Environmental Management, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, and Biology Bulletin Reviews, with research highlighting endangered species modeling, invasive species monitoring, and sustainable forest management. He has also worked extensively under the PSF-NSFC collaborative project focusing on ecological and molecular assessments of prioritized endemic plants, emphasizing the need for scientific-based conservation strategies. Skilled in advanced analytical tools including R, Python, Google Earth Engine, GIS, SEM, and multivariate statistical modeling, Jawad brings a strong quantitative dimension to plant ecological research. His broad field and laboratory experience across regions like Swat, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and Dir underscores his dedication to biodiversity documentation and conservation in mountainous ecosystems. With honors including a Silver Medal and Position Holder Award, and multiple international conference presentations, Jawad Hussain exemplifies a new generation of dedicated young scientists committed to advancing global ecological research, plant diversity conservation, and sustainable environmental stewardship.

Profile : Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Khan, M. S., Khan, S. M., Abdullah, Liu, J., Wu, Z. Y., Hussain, J., Zeb, S. A., … & Ali, S. (2025). Ecological assessment of Iris hookeriana across subalpine and alpine regions of the Hindu-Himalayas. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 8, 1539025.

Shah, M., Khan, S. M., Manan, F., Hussain, J., Din, Z. U., Shah, I., Arshad, M., … & Ahmad, I. (2025). Role of the plant nurseries in spread of invasive alien plant species in Pakistan’s subtropical region; A threat for urban greening. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 105, 128688.

Hussain, J., Khan, S. M., Khan, M. S., Saqib, Z., Ahmad, Z., Shah, M., Mohammad, N., … & Liu, J. (2025). Distribution modelling and future prediction of a threatened species—Heracleum candicans Wall. ex DC.; Within the framework of biotic and abiotic interactions. Journal of Environmental Management, 387, 125818.

Abdullah, A., Khan, S. M., Afza, R., Kipkoech, A., Zeb, S. A., Haq, Z., Manan, F., Ahmad, Z., Khan, M. S., Hussain, J., & Balslev, H. (2025). Phosphorus dynamics in Nannorrhops ritchieana (Mazri) forests across different climatic zones of Pakistan: A framework for sustainability and management. Wild, 2(4), 41.

Ali, N., Ullah, S., Maula, F., Saba, M., Ali, A., & Hussain, J. (2025). First report of Singerocybe alboinfundibuliformis from Pakistan based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies. Biology Bulletin Reviews, 15(2), 300–305.