Avtar Singh Bimbraw | Conservation Agriculture | Excellence in Research

Dr. Avtar Singh Bimbraw | Conservation Agriculture | Excellence in Research

Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Dr. Avtar Singh Bimbraw served as a Senior Agronomist at the Punjab Agricultural University, contributing significantly to the field of agronomy through research, teaching, and extension activities. With a distinguished career spanning several decades, he played a pivotal role in advancing sustainable agricultural practices in Punjab. His expertise and dedication have left a lasting impact on the agrarian community and academic fraternity alike.

Profile:

🎓 Academic Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in Agronomy, PAU, Ludhiana (1985) – OGPA 3.28/4.00

  • M.Sc. Dairying (Forage Production), NDRI, Karnal (1980) – 68.29%

  • B.Sc. Agriculture (Hons.), PAU, Ludhiana (1977) – OGPA 2.52/4.00

  • Matriculation, Punjab School Education Board (1970) – 61.1%

🛠️ Additional Training (India, 1–14 days):

Participated in 8 specialized trainings, including:

  • Seed production technologies

  • Agroforestry evaluation

  • Sugarcane seed certification

  • Global Positioning System (GPS) applications in agriculture

📅 Service Record at PAU:

  • Joined University Service: November 29, 1985 (Senior Research Fellow)

  • Assistant Professor: 1986–1992

  • Agronomist: 1992–2000

  • Senior Agronomist: 2000–2014

🏛️ Administrative Experience:

  • Director, RRS, Kheri (1992–1998)

  • Section Head, Forage Section (2001–2011)

  • Section Head, Tillage Schemes (2005–2008)

  • Section Head, Conservation Agriculture (2009 onward)

👨‍🏫 Teaching Contributions:

  • Taught diverse undergraduate and postgraduate agronomy courses (e.g., Agron.101, 201, 424, 521, 530, 603)

  • Supervised 7 M.Sc. and 2 Ph.D. students

  • Conducted practical courses under “Earn While You Learn” scheme

  • Served as external examiner for 5 universities

  • Participated in selection committees for various state and national appointments

🔬 Research Highlights:

  • Led multiple projects (8 total), with significant outcomes including:

    • Inclusion of Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) in Punjab’s Rabi Package of Practices

    • Intercropping systems with sugarcane (moong, mash, cabbage, mentha)

    • Direct Seeded Rice and Zero/No-Tillage cultivation technologies

    • Evaluation of varieties: sugarcane, cotton, gram, berseem, moong

    • Nutrient management and sowing window studies for legumes and cereals

🌱 Seed Production Achievements (1992–2001):

  • Produced and certified ~29,565 quintals of quality seeds (e.g., sugarcane, wheat, maize, pulses)

  • Strengthened farm infrastructure for seed production (e.g., seed grader, tractors)

  • Contributed significantly to PAU’s farm income and seed supply chain

📢 Extension & Outreach:

  • Participated in Kisan Melas, Divas, field days, camps, and radio/TV talks

  • Acted as resource person in refresher courses, summer schools, and district-level workshops

  • Regularly disseminated improved crop production technologies to farming communities

🏆 Notable Recognitions:

  • Subject Expert, Commonwealth Scholarship/Fellowship selection panel (2013)

  • Member, selection committees for various agricultural appointments and programs

Publication:

  • Response of Fodder Maize to Different Levels of Nitrogen Under Various Establishment Methods

Jinli Gong | Horticulture | Women Researcher Award

Dr. Jinli Gong | Horticulture | Women Researcher Award

Assistant Professor at Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, China

Dr. Jinli Gong is a specialist in pomology, with a research focus on postharvest biology and the mechanisms of environmental signals regulating fruit coloration and ripening. She completed her Ph.D. at Huazhong Agricultural University and was a visiting researcher at Durham University, UK, in cell biology. Dr. Gong has led four research projects, published 21 peer-reviewed papers (SCI/Scopus), and holds three patents. Her notable contributions include the discovery of red and blue light-responsive mechanisms in citrus and the development of advanced techniques for studying plastid protein complexes.

Profile:

🎓 Education & Training:

  • Ph.D. in Pomology, Huazhong Agricultural University (2015–2021)

  • Research Exchange, Cell Biology, Durham University, UK (2019–2020)

🔬 Research Focus:

  • 🍊 Postharvest biology of horticultural fruits

  • 🌈 Environmental signal mechanisms in fruit coloration and ripening

🧪 Research Highlights & Innovations:

  • Identified red light-responsive proteins influencing citrus fruit coloration.

  • Developed advanced plastid isolation and visualization techniques in citrus.

  • Established real-time dynamic organelle imaging in citrus roots and fruits.

📊 Research Output:

  • 📄 21 Publications (SCI, Scopus)

  • 🔍 4 Research Projects

  • 🤝 6 Industry Consultancies

  • 🔏 3 Patents

  • 🔁 Reviewer: Journal of Experimental Botany, New Phytologist, Horticulture Research

  • 📈 Citations: ResearchGate Profile

Publication Top Notes:

  1. Autophagy positively regulates ethylene-induced colouration in citrus fruits
    Guo Y., Gong J., Cheng Y., Wang P.
    Plant Journal, 2025.

  2. Advances in the Relationship Between Cell Wall Metabolism and Physiological Diseases of Citrus Peel
    Zhang S., Zheng S., Wang X., Sun X., Gong J.
    (2025, Source details not available).

  3. Red and blue light promote tomato fruit coloration through modulation of hormone homeostasis and pigment accumulation
    Xu Y., You C., Xu C., Zhang C., Hu X., Li X., Ma H., Gong J., Sun X.
    Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2024.

  4. Tracking organelle activities through efficient and stable root genetic transformation system in woody plants
    Gong J., Chen Y., Xu Y., Gu M., Ma H., Hu X., Li X., Jiao C., Sun X.
    Horticulture Research, 2024.

  5. Combining BN-PAGE and microscopy techniques to investigate pigment-protein complexes and plastid transitions in citrus fruit
    Gong J., Zhang H., Zeng Y., Cheng Y., Sun X., Wang P.
    Plant Methods, 2022.

  6. Red light-induced kumquat fruit coloration is attributable to increased carotenoid metabolism regulated by FcrNAC22
    Gong J., Zeng Y., Meng Q., Guan Y., Li C., Yang H., Zhang Y., Ampomah-Dwamena C., Liu P., Chen C., Deng X., Cheng Y., Wang P.
    Journal of Experimental Botany, 2021.

  7. Differential regulation of red light- and ethephon-induced degreening in postharvest kumquat fruit
    Gong J., Yang H., Xu Y., Zeng Y., Liu P., Chen C., Wang P., Sun X.
    Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2023.

  8. Illuminating the cells: transient transformation of citrus to study gene functions and organelle activities related to fruit quality
    Gong J., Tian Z., Qu X., Meng Q., Guan Y., Liu P., Chen C., Deng X., Guo W., Cheng Y., Wang P.
    Horticulture Research, 2021.

  9. Transient expression assay and microscopic observation in kumquat fruit
    Gong J., Sun X.
    Bio-Protocol, 2024.

  10. Cytological and metabolomic analysis of Citrus fruit to elucidate puffing disorder
    Wang T., Zheng S., Ke F., Zhang S., Xiao J., Sun X., Zhang S., Zhang L., Gong J.
    Food Chemistry, 2024.

  11. Regulation of chlorophyll and carotenoid metabolism in citrus fruit
    Lu Y., Shen X., Li Y., Xu Y., Chen Y., Hu X., Li X., Sun X., Gong J.
    Horticultural Plant Journal, 2024.

  12. Diversity in plastids contributes to variation in fruit color
    Gong J., Li Y., Shen X., Xu Y., Hu X., Shen D., Chen C., Sun X.
    Scientia Horticulturae, 2024.