Samuel Agele | Agriculture | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Samuel Agele | Agriculture | Best Researcher Award

Professor at  Federal University of Technology Akure,  Nigeria

Prof. Agele Samuel Ohikhena is a distinguished Plant Physiologist and Ecologist with expertise in crop physiology, irrigation management, and climate adaptation strategies for sustainable agriculture. He holds a B.Agric. degree, an M.Sc. in Desert Science, a Ph.D. in Crop Physiology, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Protected Crops & Irrigation (Israel).

Profile:

🎓 Academic Background:

He holds a B.Agric., an M.Sc. in Desert Science, and a Ph.D. in Crop Physiology. Additionally, he obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Protected Crops & Irrigation from Israel.

🎓 Supervision & Academic Contributions:

Prof. Agele has supervised numerous undergraduate projects, over 25 master’s theses, and about 15 Ph.D. dissertations.

🏛️ Administrative & Research Leadership:

He has actively contributed to FUTA’s academic administration and served in leadership roles, including:
🔹 Head of Department (Crop, Soil & Pest Management, FUTA) (2013-2016)
🔹 Dean (Faculty of Agriculture, University of Africa, Toru Orua, Bayelsa State) (2017-2019)
🔹 Scholar (World Bank Step B Centre of Excellence in Food Security)
🔹 Coordinator (West African Agriculture Productivity Programme – WAAPP, FUTA)
🔹 Researcher (EU-AU Capacity4Food Project & Integrated Soil Fertility Management, FUTA)

🌍 International Training & Collaborations:

Prof. Agele has undergone training in Nigeria, Belgium, Israel, and Germany, contributing to international agricultural research efforts.

🏅 Professional Memberships:

He is a member of various prestigious scientific organizations, including:
🔸 International Horticultural Science Society (HIS)
🔸 International Soil Conservation Organization
🔸 International & African Crop Science Society
🔸 Soil Science Society of Nigeria
🔸 Agricultural Society of Nigeria
🔸 International Society for Irrigation and Drainage
🔸 Urban Climate Research Group

📖 Publications & Research Impact:

Prof. Agele has authored several book chapters and journal articles, with notable contributions to:
Cacao agronomy & microclimate adaptation 🌱🍫
Smallholder irrigation & climate resilience 🚰🌾
Urban forestry & biochar applications 🌳🌍
Water management & drought stress mitigation 💧🌾
Climate change, food security & soil fertility management 🌎🌱

Citation Metrics:

  • Total Citations: 1,510

  • Citations Since 2020: 670

  • h-index: 22

  • h-index Since 2020: 13

  • i10-index: 38

  • i10-index Since 2020: 19

Publication Top Notes:

  • Assessing Crop Model Improvements Through Comparison of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Simulation Models: A Case Study of West African Varieties
    FM Akinseye, M Adam, SO Agele, MP Hoffmann, PCS Traore, …
    Field Crops Research 201, 19-31 (2017)

  • Effects of Tillage and Mulching on the Growth, Development, and Yield of Late-Season Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) in the Humid South of Nigeria
    SO Agele, GO Iremiren, SO Ojeniyi
    The Journal of Agricultural Science 134 (1), 55-59 (2000)

  • Effects of Plant Density and Mulching on the Performance of Late-Season Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) in Southern Nigeria
    SO Agele, GO Iremiren, SO Ojeniyi
    The Journal of Agricultural Science 133 (4), 397-402 (1999)

  • Insecticidal Activity of Powders of Some Nigerian Plants Against the Maize Weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motsch)
    L Lajide, CO Adedire, WA Muse, SO Agele
    (1998)

  • Improving Sorghum Productivity Under Changing Climatic Conditions: A Modelling Approach
    FM Akinseye, HA Ajeigbe, PCS Traore, SO Agele, B Zemadim, …
    Field Crops Research 246, 107685 (2020)

  • Effects of Tillage and Manure Application on Soil Physicochemical Properties and Yield of Maize Grown on a Degraded Intensively Tilled Alfisol in Southwestern Nigeria
    AJ Adeyemo, SO Agele
    Journal of Soil Science and Environmental Management 1 (8), 205-216 (2010)

  • Evaluation of the Onset and Length of Growing Season to Define Planting Date: A Case Study for Mali (West Africa)
    FM Akinseye, SO Agele, PCS Traore, M Adam, AM Whitbread
    Theoretical and Applied Climatology 124, 973-983 (2016)

  • Effects of Some Soil Management Systems on Soil Physical Properties, Microbial Biomass, and Nutrient Distribution Under Rainfed Maize Production in a Humid Rainforest Alfisol
    SO Agele, BS Ewulo, IK Oyewusi
    Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 72, 121-134 (2005)

  • Effects of Synthetic Hormone Substitutes and Genotypes on Rooting and Mini Tuber Production of Vine Cuttings Obtained From White Yam (Dioscorea rotundata, Poir)
    SO Agele, TG Ayankanmi, H Kikuno
    African Journal of Biotechnology 9 (30), 4714-4724 (2010)

  • Effects of Watering Regimes on Aphid Infestation and Performance of Selected Varieties of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) in a Humid Rainforest Zone of Nigeria
    SO Agele, TI Ofuya, PO James
    Crop Protection 25 (1), 73-78 (2006)

  • Sunflower Responses to Weather Variations in Rainy and Dry Cropping Seasons in a Tropical Rainforest Zone
    SO Agele
    International Journal of Biotronics 32, 17-33 (2003)

  • Evapotranspiration, Water Use Efficiency, and Yield of Rainfed and Irrigated Tomato
    SO Agele, GO Iremiren, SO Ojeniyi
    International Journal of Agriculture & Biology 13 (4) (2011)

  • Organic Amendment of an Ultisol: Effects on Soil Properties, Growth, and Yield of Maize in Southern Guinea Savanna Zone of Nigeria
    K Ogundare, S Agele, P Aiyelari
    International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture 1, 1-7 (2012)

  • Effects of Season of Sowing on Water Use and Yield of Tomato in the Humid South of Nigeria
    SO Agele, A Olufayo, GO Iremiren
    African Crop Science Society (2002)

  • Effect of Some Mulch Materials on Soil Physical Properties, Growth, and Yield of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
    SO Agele, JB Olaore, FA Akinbode
    Advances in Environmental Biology, 368-376 (2010)

  • Effects of Variety and Row Spacing on Radiation Interception, Partitioning of Dry Matter, and Seed Set Efficiency in Late-Season Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
    SO Agele, IO Maraiyesa, IA Adeniji (2007)

  • Agricultural Wastes and Mineral Fertilizer on Soil and Plant Nutrient Status, Growth, and Yield of Tomato
    SO Agele, AJ Adeyemo, IB Famuwagun
    Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 57 (1), 91-104 (2011)

  • Ability of Ovipositing Callosobruchus maculatus Females to Discriminate Between Seeds Bearing Their Own Eggs and Those Bearing Eggs of Other Females
    T Ofuya, S Agele (1989)

  • Effects of Spent Engine Oil Polluted Soil and Organic Amendment on Soil Chemical Properties, Microflora, and Growth of Telfairia occidentalis (Hook f.)
    AU Osaigbovo, KE Law-Ogbomo, SO Agele
    Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 6 (1), 72-78 (2013)

  • Effects of Shade on Microclimate, Canopy Characteristics, and Light Integrals in Dry Season Field-Grown Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Seedlings
    S Agele, B Famuwagun, A Ogunleye
    Journal of Horticultural Sciences 11 (1), 47-56 (2016)

 

 

Saurabh Shekhar | Fertilizer Production | Best Researcher Award

Dr Saurabh Shekhar | Fertilizer Production | Best Researcher Award

Scientist at  CSIR-NML,  India

Dr. Saurabh Shekhar is a Senior Scientist in the Metal Extraction & Recycling Division at the CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML), Jamshedpur, India. With over a decade of experience in metallurgical research, he specializes in metal extraction, material synthesis, and waste management.

 

Publication Profile

Education:

  • Ph.D.: Materials and Metallurgical Engineering (CSIR-NML, AcSIR, 2023).
  • M.Tech: Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, specializing in Mineral Processing (CSIR-NML, AcSIR, 2014).
  • B.E.: Chemical Engineering (Haldia Institute of Technology, 2011).

Professional Achievements:

  • Research Funding: Successfully led 34 projects (18 completed, 16 ongoing) with a cumulative budget exceeding ₹10 crore.
  • Publications: Authored 13 SCI-indexed publications and over 10 conference proceedings.
  • Patents: Holder of 13 patents, including 4 granted.
  • Technology Transfer: Successfully transferred one innovative technology.

Awards and Recognition:

  • National Innovation Award (NRDC, 2020): Recognized for technology transfer with a ₹5 lakh prize.
  • S. Banerjee Award (2020): For excellence in in-house projects.
  • Additional Honors: Nine paper and poster awards at prestigious conferences such as NMD, MPT, and MetWaste.

Dr. Saurabh’s groundbreaking contributions to metallurgical science and his focus on sustainable practices make him a leader in his field.

Citation Metrics:

  • Publications: 13 SCI-indexed papers with 171 citations (156 since 2019).
  • h-index: 7 (since 2019: 7)
  • i10-index: 6 (since 2019: 6)
  • Patents: Filed 13 patents, with 4 granted.

Publication Top Note:

  • Physical and chemical characterization and recovery of potash fertilizer from glauconitic clay for agricultural application
    Applied Clay Science, 143, 50-56, 2017. (Citations: 55)
  • Physico-chemical treatment of glauconitic sandstone to recover potash and magnetite
    Journal of Cleaner Production, 147, 681-693, 2017. (Citations: 41)
  • A sustainable process for recovery of potash fertilizer from glauconite through simultaneous production of pigment grade red oxide
    Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 23, e00129, 2020. (Citations: 19)
  • Phosphonomethyl iminodiacetic acid functionalized metal organic framework supported PAN composite beads for selective removal of La(III) from wastewater: Adsorptive study
    Journal of Hazardous Materials, 425, 127802, 2022. (Citations: 18)
  • Valorisation of waste galvanizing dross: Emphasis on recovery of zinc with zero effluent strategy
    Journal of Environmental Management, 256, 109985, 2020. (Citations: 11)
  • Study of process efficiency for high-ash fine coal cleaning in a Kelsey centrifugal jig
    International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization, 38(5), 250-259, 2018. (Citations: 11)
  • Extraction of manganese through baking-leaching technique from high iron containing manganese sludge
    Materials Today: Proceedings, 46(3), 1499-1504, 2021. (Citations: 7)
  • Simultaneous extraction of copper and iron from chalcopyrite concentrate via surfactant-assisted chlorination leaching
    Materials Today: Proceedings, 2023. (Citations: 3)
  • Petro-Mineralogical and Geochemical Evaluation of Glauconitic Rocks of the Ukra Member (Bhuj Formation), Kutch Basin, India
    Clays and Clay Minerals, 70(1), 135-153, 2022. (Citations: 3)
  • Recovery of zinc as zinc phosphate and by-products from hydrometallurgical treatment of hot-dip galvanizing (Zn-Al) dross
    Materials Today: Proceedings, 46, 1532-1536, 2021. (Citations: 3)
  • A Clean Process for the Recovery of Potash Fertilizer from Glauconitic Rock via Hydrogen Gas Pre-treatment and Mild Acid Leaching
    JOM, 76(7), 3343-3353, 2024.
  • A clean process for the recovery of iron as value-added product from highly acidic chloride leach solution
    Materials Today: Proceedings, 2023.
  • Emulsion Mediated Low Temperature Pressure Leaching of Base Metals from Mixed Sulfide Minerals Through Enhanced Oxygen Mass Transfer
    Extraction 2018: Proceedings of the First Global Conference on Extractive Metallurgy, 2018.