Afsaneh Heydari | Horticulture | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Afsaneh Heydari | Horticulture | Best Researcher Award

Researcher at Shiraz University | Iran

Dr. Afsaneh Heydari is a dedicated researcher at Shiraz University whose work focuses on agricultural meteorology, climate variability, and the hydro-environmental systems of arid and semi-arid regions. Her research explores the interconnections between the Middle East and the West Indian Subcontinent in the context of climate change, particularly examining the modulation roles of the Atlantic Meridional Oscillation (AMO) and monsoon cloud dynamics. Through advanced statistical and computational modeling, she has provided valuable insights into spatial disparities in climate trends and their implications for regional agriculture and water management. Her collaborative research, published in high-impact journals such as Climate (MDPI), demonstrates strong analytical rigor and contributes meaningfully to understanding climate-driven challenges affecting food and water security. Dr. Heydari’s work bridges hydrology, climatology, and sustainable resource management—making her a deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award for her innovative contributions to advancing scientific knowledge in climate change impacts and adaptation strategies within horticultural and agricultural ecosystems.

Profile : Scopus

Featured Publications

All-optical XOR, XNOR, NAND and OR logic gates based on photonic crystal 3-DB coupler for BPSK signals. Journal of Optical Communications.

Application of UV/Vis spectrophotometry based on using least squares support vector machine and continuous wavelet transform methods for the simultaneous analysis of antibiotics drugs in tablet formulation: Comparison with HPLC method.

Heydari, A., Nazemosadat, M. J., & Hosseinzadehtalaei, P. Climate change in the Middle East and the West Indian Subcontinent: Geographic interconnections and the modulation roles of the extreme phases of the Atlantic Meridional Oscillation (AMO) and the monsoon cloudiness. Climate.

Rashad Mukhtar Balal | Horticulture | Excellence in Innovation Award

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Prof. Dr. Rashad Mukhtar Balal | Horticulture | Excellence in Innovation Award

Chairman / Professor at Department of Horticulture, University of Sargodha | Pakistan

Prof. Dr. Rashad Mukhtar Balal is a distinguished horticultural scientist and academic leader known for his outstanding contributions to citrus biotechnology, pomology, and stress physiology. He earned his Ph.D. in Horticultural Sciences from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, specializing in pomology, biotechnology, and horticultural stress physiology, with earlier degrees in M.Phil. and B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture from the same institution. With over two decades of professional experience, he has served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Horticulture at the University of Sargodha and held visiting research and teaching positions at Cornell University, USA, and Harper Adams University, UK. His research interests encompass citrus rootstock improvement, nursery management, protected horticulture, and the physiological and biochemical mechanisms of crop tolerance under salt, drought, and heavy metal stress. Skilled in experimental design, plant tissue culture, stress physiology, and biotechnology applications, he has led and completed numerous national and international research projects. Dr. Balal’s achievements include establishing Pakistan’s first certified disease-free and seedless citrus nursery and introducing seedless Kinnow mandarins. His excellence has been recognized through awards such as the International Outstanding Research Publication Award (ASHS-USA) and the National Innovation Award. His continued dedication promotes sustainable horticultural development and agricultural innovation globally.

Profile : Scopus | Google Scholar | ORCID

Featured Publications

Shahid, M. A., Sarkhosh, A., Khan, N., Balal, R. M., Ali, S., Rossi, L., Gómez, C., et al. (2020). Insights into the physiological and biochemical impacts of salt stress on plant growth and development. Agronomy, 10(7), 938.

Abbas, T., Balal, R. M., Shahid, M. A., Pervez, M. A., Ayyub, C. M., Aqueel, M. A., et al. (2015). Silicon-induced alleviation of NaCl toxicity in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is associated with enhanced photosynthesis, osmoprotectants and antioxidant defense. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 37(2), 6.

Khan, H. A., Ayub, C. M., Pervez, M. A., Bilal, R. M., Shahid, M. A., & Ziaf, K. (2009). Effect of seed priming with NaCl on salinity tolerance of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) at seedling stage. Soil and Environment, 28(1), 81–87.

Shahid, M. A., Pervez, M. A., Balal, R. M., Mattson, N. S., Rashid, A., Ahmad, R., et al. (2011). Brassinosteroid (24-epibrassinolide) enhances growth and alleviates the deleterious effects induced by salt stress in pea (Pisum sativum L.). Australian Journal of Crop Science, 5(5), 500–510.

Shahid, M. A., Balal, R. M., Khan, N., Zotarelli, L., Liu, G. D., Sarkhosh, A., et al. (2019). Selenium impedes cadmium and arsenic toxicity in potato by modulating carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 180, 588–599.