Latif Ahmad Peer | Plant Science | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Latif Ahmad Peer  | Plant Science | Best Researcher Award

Associate Professor at University of Kashmir, India

Dr. Latif Ahmad Peer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Kashmir, specializing in plant morphogenesis and climate-smart agriculture. He earned his Ph.D. in Botany in 2022 with research focused on morphogenetic assessment in Zea mays L., contributing to sustainable agricultural practices. With over two decades of academic and teaching experience, Dr. Peer has served in various roles, progressing from Lecturer to Associate Professor since 2007.

Profile:

🎓 Academic Journey:

Dr. Latif Ahmad Peer earned his Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Kashmir in 2022, with a thesis titled “Morphogenetic assessment in Zea mays L. with reference to climate smart agriculture.” He also holds a Master’s degree in Botany (2003) and a Bachelor’s in Biology and Chemistry (2001).

👨‍🏫 Academic Roles & Experience:

With over 20 years of teaching and research experience, Dr. Peer currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Botany, University of Kashmir. He has previously worked as a Lecturer and Assistant Professor, contributing significantly to both undergraduate and postgraduate education.

🔬 Research Focus:

His research interests center around climate-smart agriculture, morphogenetic plant analysis, and the adaptation of Zea mays L. (maize) to environmental stress, with an emphasis on improving crop resilience and sustainability.

🏛️ University Service & Leadership:

Dr. Peer plays an active role in the university’s academic and administrative activities:

  • Academic & Career Counsellor

  • Member of UG/PG Boards of Studies

  • Incharge of the Computer Lab & Department Auditorium

  • Member of Research and Admission Committees

🌱 Impact & Vision:

Dedicated to sustainable agricultural development and botanical innovation, Dr. Peer’s work contributes to environmentally adaptive farming practices in the Himalayan region and beyond.

Publication Top Notes:

  • Floral Induction Pathways: Decision Making and Determination in Plants to Flower – A Comprehensive Review

  • High Temperature Triggered Plant Responses From Whole Plant to Cellular Level

  • Potential Antioxidant Activity of Some Mushrooms Growing in Kashmir Valley

  • Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of the Genus Artemisia L. (Asteraceae): A High-Value Medicinal Plant

  • Phenolic Content, Antioxidant and Allelopathic Potential of Artemisia brevifolia Wall. ex DC. Across the Elevations of Western Himalayan Region of Ladakh

  • Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Ethnomedicinal Importance of the Highly Valuable Endangered Plant, Podophyllum hexandrum: A Comprehensive Review

  • Rhizosphere Mycobiome Diversity of Medicinal Plants: A Review

  • Genetic, Molecular and Physiological Crosstalk During Drought Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays): Pathways to Resilient Agriculture

  • Repurposing of Plant-Based Antiviral Molecules for the Treatment of COVID-19

  • Drought Stress-Induced Impact on Morpho-Physiological Traits in Maize Landraces of Kashmir

  • Phytochemistry, Biological Properties, Economic and Ecological Importance of Taraxacum officinale: A Review

  • Genetic Diversity Analysis in Maize Landraces Under Temperate Ecology

  • Phytochemistry, Biological Activity and Medicinal Importance of Urtica dioica: A Review

  • Self-Incompatibility Patterns and Signal Transduction

  • Medicinal Plants of the Himalayan Tral Region of Kashmir, India: An Ethnobotanical Study of Their Diversity, Use Patterns, and Health Implications

  • Maize Characterization: From Genotyping to High-Throughput Phenotyping

  • Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Bacillus Species on the Growth of Blue Pine Seedlings

  • Cowpea Wild Relatives for Cowpea Sustainability Through Introgression Breeding

  • Harnessing Phytohormone Dynamics to Fortify Crop Resilience Against Drought: A Comprehensive Review

  • Comprehensive Morphological Characterization of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) Genotypes for Enhanced Breeding Programs in Jammu and Kashmir

 

Hajer Darouez | Horticulturae | Best Researcher Award

Mrs Hajer Darouez |  Horticulturae |  Best Researcher Award

PhD Candidate at  Ghent University,  Belgium

Hajer Darouez is a passionate Ph.D. student at Ghent University with over 4 years of experience in plant biotechnology. Specializing in root-inducing molecules to improve micropropagation techniques, she has conducted groundbreaking research on woody plants and rooting recalcitrant species. Hajer has extensive experience in molecular techniques, advanced data analysis, and propagation methods, developed through her work at the Laboratory for Applied In Vitro Plant Biotechnology at UGent and her internship at Mission Biologica de Galicia in Spain. Her notable research includes transcriptomic analysis, histological techniques, and the use of new compounds to enhance rooting in species like chestnut and poplar.

Publication profile

🎓 Education and Research Focus:

Hajer Darouez is a passionate and dedicated PhD student at Ghent University specializing in plant biotechnology. With more than 4 years of research experience, her expertise lies in rooting recalcitrant and woody plants, particularly through the development of root-inducing molecules to enhance micropropagation techniques. During her PhD, she has pioneered the optimization of propagation methods using innovative approaches.
📝 PhD Dissertation: Application of New Root-Inducing Molecules in Plant Tissue Culture.

🔬 Research Experience:

  • Ph.D. Researcher (2019-Present): Conducting research on root-inducing molecules at the Laboratory for Applied In Vitro Plant Biotechnology at UGent, Belgium.
  • Part-Time Researcher (2022-2023): Contributed to the VLAIO Moss project focusing on in vitro cultivation for urban greening applications.
  • Internship (2023): Four-month internship at Mission Biologica de Galicia in Spain, where she enhanced her expertise in woody species biotechnology and transcriptomic analysis.

🧪 Skills and Techniques:

Hajer is proficient in a variety of molecular techniques, including:

  • Histological sections and gene expression studies.
  • Advanced data analysis tools.
  • Execution of micropropagation optimization experiments.

🌿 Key Projects:

  • Hevea Project (2016): Played a key role in sustainable agriculture research, focusing on Hevea brasiliensis cultivation.
  • Nigella Sativa Research (2015): Conducted in vitro methods to improve salt stress tolerance in this medicinal plant species.

🏆 Conferences and Presentations:

  • Oral Communication (2023): Presented research on dichlorprop esters at the Innovative Woody Plant Cloning Congress in Spain.
  • Poster Presentations (2022): Showcased findings at International Symposium on In Vitro Technology and the ATSB Congress on rooting and shoot growth techniques in Lavandula angustifolia.

Publication Top Notes:

  1. “Red and Far-Red Light Combined with Trans-Cinnamic Acid Enhances In Vitro Rooting and Reduces Callus Formation in Lavender”
    Journal: Horticulturae
    Date: September 6, 2024
    Contributors: Hajer Darouez
  2. “Arinole, a Novel Auxin-Stimulating Benzoxazole, Affects Root Growth and Promotes Adventitious Root Formation”
    Journal: Journal of Experimental Botany
    DOI: erae282
    Date: June 26, 2024
    Contributors: Hajer Darouez