Dr. Shane C. Burgess first in his family to complete college, he graduated with distinction as a veterinarian in 1989 from Massey University, New Zealand. He has worked in and managed veterinary clinical practices in Australia and the UK, including horses, farm animals, pets, wild and zoo animals, and emergency medicine and surgery. He did a radiology residency at Murdoch University in Perth in Western Australia, where he concurrently co-founded Perth’s first emergency veterinary clinic. He has managed aquaculture facilities in Scotland. Between 1995 and 1998, while working full time outside of the academy, he did his Ph.D. in virology, immunology and cancer biology (Bristol University Medical School, UK). Dr. Burgess worked in the UK World Reference Laboratory for Exotic Diseases during the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease crisis, where he led the diagnosis reporting office. He was awarded a Director’s Award for Service. In 2002, Dr. Burgess joined Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine as an assistant professor. He was recruited from Mississippi State as a professor, associate dean of the college and director of the Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology to lead the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in July 2011. Dr. Burgess is currently Vice President for Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Interim Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, and Director, Arizona Experiment Station at the University of Arizona. The college has a total budget of more than $120M with over 3,400 students and more than 1,800 employees. Dr. Burgess has been a Board Member of the Mississippi Biotechnology Association, served as a Mississippi Universities’ Industrial Outreach Committee member, and was President of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences, 2009-2010. He has served USDA NRSP8: National Animal Genome Research Program as a Bioinformatics Committee Member, was one of the two US (and the non-federal) Inaugural Co-chairs for the Working Group on Animal Biotechnology within the US-EC Task Force on Biotechnology, a National Executive Committee member for the Food Systems Leadership Institute, a University and Industry Consortium (UIC) Executive Committee Member and was on the UIC Project Steering Team for its assessment project to define graduate numbers/quality/skills supply vs. demand in agricultural and biotech industries (a collaboration with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities). He currently serves on the Agri-Business and Water Council of Arizona Executive Committee, the Board of Directors for Arizona Farm Bureau, the Governor’s Agricultural Best Management Practices Committee for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, the BIO5 Institute Deans’ Advisory Board, Tech Launch Arizona’s Internal Advisory Board, Arizona STEM Diploma Project Advisory committee, Flinn Foundation’s Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee, the Arizona National Livestock Show Board of Directors, and Reid Park Zoological Society Board of Directors. Dr. Burgess also serves on a number of university-level planning and strategy committees.

veterinary science, cancer, virology, proteomics, immunology and bioinformatics research

He graduated from the University of Tokyo, Department of Biochemistry, School of Science in 1974. He joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan, in 1981 and worked in the research staff for 27 years. He took his doctor’s degree at The Tohoku University in 1989. He continued his research into rice quality and processing, and was promoted to the head of the quality laboratory in 1990. He managed food research as a director of Food Science and Utilization Division at the National Food Research Institute from 2005 until 2008. He retired from MAFF and moved to Niigata University in 2008. He now majors in cereal science and processing, specializing in, quality assay and processing of rice grains. He is currently doing research into rice processing, for example, bio-functional rice bread, rice noodles, and rice cake. He has published more than 260 papers on cereal science and utilization, and he got the prizes for outstanding papers on rice qualities, PCR technology of rice authentications, and the development of bio-functional rice bread, etc.

Cereal science and processing, quality assay and processing of rice grains, bio-functional rice bread, rice noodles, and rice cake, PCR technology of rice authentications.

Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (born 7 August 1925) is an Indian geneticist and international administrator, renowned for his leading role in India's "Green Revolution," a program under which high-yield varieties of wheat and rice seedlings were planted in the fields of poor farmers. Swaminathan is known as "Indian Father of Green Revolution" for his leadership and success in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of wheat in India. He is the founder and chairman of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation. His stated vision is to rid the world of hunger and poverty. Swaminathan is an advocate of moving India to sustainable development, especially using environmentally sustainable agriculture, sustainable food security and the preservation of biodiversity, which he calls an "evergreen revolution." From 1972 to 1979 he was director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He was Principal Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture from 1979 to 1980. He served as Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (1982–88) and became president of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 1988. In 1999, Time magazine placed him in the 'Time 20' list of most influential Asian people of the 20th century.

Agriculture, Food, Food Security, Crop Yield.

He received Ph.D. from Mississippi State University, Mississippi, U.S.A, in Agronomy –from Plant and Soil Department. And Master degree in Environmental Science from College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, U.A.E. Since December 25, 2005, he is working as an Associate Professor of Agro-ecosystem and Environmental Plant Physiology with the Department of Aridland Agriculture, College of Food and Agriculture at the United Arab Emirates University. his research interests include the Water Conservation Strategies in the Aridland with special emphasis on Nano-Sand Technology of Water Conservation in irrigated agriculture, Global Change Biology and Food Security. He is still a member of American Society of Agronomy, U.S.A Since 2002. His contributions to the research and service include serving as a member of Scientific Research and Graduate Council in United Arab Emirates University from September 2006 to September 2017. He was a consultant to Emirates Foundation as Environment Manager in Environmental Program. He served as a Member of the Scientific Group for International Datepalm Conference in 2010, 2014 and 2018.

Agro-ecosystem,Environmental Plant Physiology

Dr. N.V.Naidu born in 1957 in a hamlet of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh was Graduated from S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati, A.P and obtained B.Sc (Ag) degree in 1979 and Master & Doctoral degree majoring in Genetics & Plant Breeding in 1981 & 1990 respectively from College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, APAU (Presently renamed as Acharya N.G Ranga Agricultural University). He joined in service in the A.P Agricultural University in 1983 as Research Assistant and worked in various cadres viz Assistant Research Officer in Pulses & Groundnut, Breeder in Sugarcane, Principal Scientist (Sugarcane), Associate Director of Research, Associate Dean, Director (Seeds), Professor & University Head, Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding and Director of Extension at various research Institutions & Colleges of ANGRAU. He has developed 23 improved varieties in Groundnut, Pulses, Sugarcane besides implementable technologies and recommended for commercial application. He was actively involved in the transfer of technologies to the benefit of farming community. He has published more than 100 research papers in national & international journals; number of popular articles & presented research papers in various Seminars, Symposia, Workshops and Conferences. His research contributions were recognised by the competent authorities and presented awards/prizes/appreciations by the university, Government of Andhra Pradesh and NGOs. Some of them include Best Research Worker by ANGRAU, Best Sugarcane Scientist by Sugarcane Growers Association, M/S KCP Sugar & Indcor, Ugadi Puraskharam by Government of Andhra Pradesh, Rythu Nestham by NGO, Gold and Silver medals for best research papers by SISSTA & STAI and Best team work award for Quality Seed Production by AICRP on NSP (Crops). He is a family member of IMRF and is participating in the conferences organized by IMRF since 2014. Presently working as Director of Research is guiding & coordinating research and development activities in ANGRAU.

Agriculture Science, Horticulture Science, Agricultural Biotechnology

Dr. Salah Abdel-Rahman is a Professor of molecular genetics at Department of Nucleic Acid Research Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications Alexandria, Egypt. PhD in 2003, Department of Molecular Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. Dr. Salah has an expertise in Mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting production traits on different chromosomes in farm animals using microsatellite markers. Improvement of quantitative production traits (meat, milk, fertility, wool…etc) in farm animals using marker-assisted selection (MAS). Detection of adulteration and identification of meat and milk plus genetically modified organisms (GMOs) using molecular genetics techniques. DNA fingerprinting and national animals and plants genetic sources preservation.

Molecular genetics techniques, DNA fingerprinting

Dr Abbas Amini is an assistant professor at the Australian College of ACK and Western Sydney University, and the member of graduate supervisory board. After obtaining PhD, he conducted research with other Australian universities, as a postdoctoral research fellow at Monash and Deakin Universities, and as a senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne. His fine outcomes have been presented in high impact factor journals, e.g., Nature publication group, and a recent published book in 2016. Abbas is the editor of ten reputed journals, and the committee member of 20 international conferences.

Bio-nanotech

Professor V. P. Singh is a Distinguished Professor and the inaugural holder of the Caroline and William N. Lehrer Distinguished Chair in Water Engineering in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering as well as the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A & M University. He received his B.S., M.S., Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees in engineering. He is a registered professional engineer, a registered professional hydrologist, and an Honorary diplomate in water resources engineering, American Academy of Water Resources Engineers.

Agriculture, Hydrologic Impacts of Climate Change

João R. Mesquita (D.V.M., M.Sc.; Ph.D.) is a Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu where he teaches topics within Infectious Diseases for more than 10 years. On the past decade he has focused on Virology, where he has published 44 papers in Scopus indexed Journals. He has won several scientific prizes from different societies and conferences, where he has presented numerous oral and poster presentations. His research interests are focused on animal and human virology, mainly on zoonotic viruses, with special interest on surveillance tools and epidemiology.

The focus of my research is the epidemiology of emerging viruses aiming to understand disease emergence, prevention, control, and elimination, while integrating the concept of One Health. Many emerging viral diseases are linked to increasing contact between humans and animals, and the intensification and incorporation of food production, which often lead to cross-species episodes resulting in facilitated pathogenicity and notable increase in incidence. Most emergent viruses can be categorized as zoonotic with the clear advantage of possibly having several natural reservoirs for the disease, warranting viral epidemiology studies in multi-species. As such I have been performing both molecular and serological surveillance studies mainly dedicated on enteric viruses such as norovirus and hepatitis E virus in a wide array of domestic and wild animals, as well as in humans.

He is awarded PhD in Field Crops from Çukurova University in the 2001. He holds a Master Degree (MSc) in Field Crops from Çukurova University in the 1995 followed by a Bachelor’s Degree (BSc) in Field Crops from Çukurova University in the 1992. He has extended his valuable service as an Associate Professor in Cukurova University for 3 years and has been a recipient of many award and grants. Currently, he is working as a Professor for Cukurova University. His international experience includes various programs, contributions and participation in different countries for diverse fields of study. His research interests as a Professor reflect in his wide range of publications in various national and international journals. He is the Editorial Board Member of many journals and serves as a member of various associations, apart from being an author for many books.

Field Crop, Plant Science, Agriculture

He is a Dr. engineer East Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute, Adana-TURKEY. He is a Dr zootechnian. He is the Division of Feeds and Animal Nutrition Head. He received the Ph.D. degree from Cukurova University Agricultural Faculty, Department of Animal Science (TURKEY) in 2004. He formerly worked 5 years (1995-2000) as a Research Asistant at Cukurova University, Agricultural Faculty Dept. of Animal Science, Div. of Feeds and Animal Nutrition His major subject is poultry nutrition but he can review silage quality and ruminant nutrition articles (cow nutrition, heifer nutrition, sheep and goat nutrition and veterinary). He is the author of more than 114 sciencific articles and the reviewer of more than 862 (eight hundred sixty two) scientific articles and he have 2 the BEST REVIEWER AWARD.

agricultural science,poultry nutrition and ruminant nutrition

Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (born 7 August 1925) is an Indian geneticist and international administrator, renowned for his leading role in India's "Green Revolution," a program under which high-yield varieties of wheat and rice seedlings were planted in the fields of poor farmers. Swaminathan is known as "Indian Father of Green Revolution" for his leadership and success in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of wheat in India. He is the founder and chairman of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation. His stated vision is to rid the world of hunger and poverty. Swaminathan is an advocate of moving India to sustainable development, especially using environmentally sustainable agriculture, sustainable food security and the preservation of biodiversity, which he calls an "evergreen revolution." From 1972 to 1979 he was director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He was Principal Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture from 1979 to 1980. He served as Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (1982–88) and became president of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 1988. In 1999, Time magazine placed him in the 'Time 20' list of most influential Asian people of the 20th century.

Agriculture, Food, Food security, crop yield.

Graduated from Michigan State University with M.S. and Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Sciences. Currently, a professor at Oregon State University (OSU). He has been teaching a web, graduate and undergraduate courses, in Seed Science and Technology and related subjects and major advisor of many graduate students. His national and international activities include 2016 Chair of seed physiology, production and technology division of the Crop Science Society of America; Associate Editor of Crop Science; Chair of the research committee, the statistics committee and the seed moisture committee of the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA); invited professor in Brazil, Uruguay, Nepal, and Canada. His research activities include seed quality evaluation in relation to the physiology of seed germination, vigor, dormancy, storability, post-harvest technologies, and the relationship to field performance. He is an author and co-author of books such as Seed Testing- Principles and Practices, Seed Moisture Determination handbook and Seed Vigor Testing handbook. He is also an author of book chapters, and over 50 refereed, peer-reviewed and extension articles.

Research interest include seed quality evaluation in relation to the physiology of seed germination, vigor, dormancy, storability, post-harvest technologies, and the relationship to field performance

Dr. Payne recently moved from Ethiopia, where he worked with the International Center for Agricultural Research for the Dry Areas as Director of a $150 million research program aimed at improving food security and livelihoods in the dry areas of the world. Dr. Payne serves as Professor of Crop Physiology at Texas A&M University, and is former Research Director of the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture. He has advised charitable foundations, national and international agencies, publishers, foreign governments and universities on science, food security, and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Payne has been named fellow of five international scientific societies and has held numerous leadership roles at the state, national and international level.

Sustainable agricultural production,Crop Physiology,conservation of natural resources,healthy food systems

Dr Agr. Fabienne Trolard (INRA) is permanent researcher at the UMR INRA-UAPV « Mediterranean environment and modelling of agro-hydrosystems ». With a PhD and “Agrégation de l’Enseignement Supérieur” in Earth Sciences, specialist in mineral geochemistry and geophysics, she has been working at INRA, for more than 25 years, in soil and environmental sciences. She has provided expertises for DGVI (1998-2002), DGXII (1999-2003) EU and for the IPCC (2012-2013). She co-created the INRA lab « Geochemistry of soil and water » at Aix-en-Provence in 2000 and was its leader for 6 years (2004-2009). She was the INRA scientific leader of the Astuce & Tic program (2008-2011) and lead of the pathfinder PRECOS (2013-2014) and PRECOS Business (2015-2016). Since 1986, she has published over 280 papers and supervised 16 PhD candidates and 3 post-docs. She teaches at the Universities of Aix-Marseilles (Master MAEVA), Poitiers (Master NMAC, Eramus Mundus) and Avignon (CNAM - Ecole des Arts et Métiers).

Geochemistry of soils and waters, mineralogy, modeling of soil - solution - plant interactions.

Youry Pii is Assistant Professor at the Free University of Bolzano (Italy) since 2013 and his research activities are mainly focused on plant nutrition and the rhizosphere processes underlying nutrients uptake. In particular, the study of the complex relationship between plant, soil and microorganisms in the process of nutrient acquisition is one of the central topic. He applied thereby interdisciplinary methodologies, such as molecular biology, genomics, genetics, biochemistry, analytical chemistry and plant physiology, aimed at identifying the molecular mechanisms that control important plant traits related to mineral nutrient acquisition, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. In details, the research activity of dr. Youry Pii has been focused on i) Physiological and molecular responses to nutritional deficiencies and heavy metal stresses in model plants (e.g. cucumber, barley, tomato) and in tree plants (e.g. strawberry, apple, grapevine), ii) interaction between plants and PGPR to improve plant nutrients uptake/use efficiency, and iii) rhizosphere metagenomics. Author of 30 scientific publications, 28 of them indexed in SCOPUS; 389 citations; H-index 10.

molecular biology, genomics, genetics, biochemistry, analytical chemistry and plant physiology

He is been the research scientist 2007−present in the Department of Food Technology , Ataturk Central Horticultural Research Institute. He was also an auditor of 'Food Safety and Standards’ 2004−2007 in the Agriculture Ministry Office, Yalova, Turkey

He is been the research scientist 2007−present in the Department of Food Technology , Ataturk Central Horticultural Research Institute. He was also an auditor of 'Food Safety and Standards’ 2004−2007 in the Agriculture Ministry Office, Yalova, Turkey

Daniele De Wrachien is full professor of Irrigation and Drainage at the Department of Agricultural Engineering of the State University of Milan. He graduated in Geology at the same University ,where he received is PhD in Applied Geology. Director of the Institute of agricultural Hydraulics ( 2000-2006) Director of the Computer Centre of the Faculty of Agriculture ( 1989 - 1995) President of EurAgEng (European Society of Agricultural Engineers ) (2002-2004) Member of the Executive Board of CIGR ( International Commission of Agricultural Engineering ) ( 2006- 2014) Member of the Executive Board of ICID (International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage) (2005-2012) Member of the Board of Directors of WIT ( Wessex Institute of Technology ) (2010-2014) Author of more than 150 publications ( scientific papers ,keynote papers,books and technical papers ) Organizer of more than fifty international Events ( Conferences, Congresses,Symposia and Workshops ) held in about fifteen countries throughout Europe,Africa,Asia,America, Australia

water resources management; irrigation and drainage technology; performance assessment of sprinkler irrigation systems; modelling of transport processes in porous media ;modelling and fluid-dynamics of debris and hyper-concentrated flows; flood control and mitigation measures; desertification and environmental impact of climate change.

Prof. Dr Dorien DeTombe is the founder and chair of the field Methodology for Societal Complexity. She developed the Compram Methodology for political decision making on complex societal issues like sustainable development, terrorism, credit crisis and water affairs. The Compram Methodology is advised by the OECD to handle Global Safety. She studied social science and computer science. Her doctorate is in Methodology for Societal Complexity. She spend her main carrier at Utrecht University and Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands, and is since 2015 connected with Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China. She published many books , more than 150 articles. She gives lectures and workshops as Visiting Professor and Conferences all over the world. She organizes yearly conferences and is editor of many journals. She is in the board of many research groups and established a world-wide research network on International Society on Methodology of Societal Complexity.

Agriculture, complex societal problems,sustainable agriculture.

He is a Associate professor with Habilitation at Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. He is a PhD in Electrical Engineering. He was Member of General Board of UTAD (Jan.2013-Dez2016), Dean of Electronics and Electrical Engineering Graduate Course (2003-06), Member of Executive Commission of CETAV– Research Centre (2004-06). More than 15 years experience in R&D+i projects (researcher and coordinator). Development of Electronics devices and WSN for precision agriculture and smart cities. He is the co-author of more than 50 articles.

Development of Electronics devices and WSN for precision agriculture and smart cities. WSN protocols and propagation models.

Dr. Charles Powell is an Emeritus Professor at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center. Retiring in 2016, Dr. Powell maintains a presence at IRREC with his research interests. Upon his retirement, he had served as a research professor, and as an associate director.

Current research is focused on control of HLB, or citrus greening. Recent research has involved work with efficacy and infertility of Madeira mealybug on plants prepared for shipping.

Honored Scientist of RF, Member-correspondent of Academy of Natural Science of Russia.Education in Chemistry: Ural State, Dr.'s Degree in Chemistry in Ural State University, Dr. Sc. Degree in Chemistry in Moscow State University, Professor in Chemistry. From 1968 till now she works for Ural State Economic University in Yekaterinburg (RF).

Her research interests are: Electrochemical sensors, Stripping Voltammetry, Environmental Monitoring, Nanostructured materials Electrochemical Characterization, Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Activity investigations. She published in Russian and International Journals more than 500 papers and abstracts and 5 books in Stripping Analysis in "Chemistry" Moscow (three of them in 1972, 1982, 1988) and by "Willey & Sons", USA (two of them in 1974 and 1993). She has 15 Russian Patents

Greeson has traveled extensively internationally, exploring remote regions, collecting specimens and teaming with researchers in efforts to discover novel compounds. Specimen collections have come from some of the most bio-diverse regions of Planet Earth and from areas which often have no documentation of the flora or fauna, or the medicinal use of plants.Significant research findings to date have been in the areas of cancer, inflammation and pain, the natural activation of stem cells, skin care and malaria.

A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, she presently serves as an Alumni Board Member of the UNCCH Eshelman School of Pharmacy. As an integrative pharmacist, Greeson's work in remote bio diverse countries with indigenous people, searching for novel medical treatments, has attracted interviews with NPR on several occasions, Australian Public Radio, and numerous articles and other press. Her book, And The Silent Spoke, will be released in 2018, while Expedition Congo, a documentary based on the 2016 expedition to the Congo, is slated to debut in early 2018.

Elena Ermilova is a full professor and head of laboratory at Saint-Petersburg State University. She has her expertise in nitrogen metabolism and PII signal transduction in green and red algae, and land plants. Prof. E. Ermilova also has extensively studied the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and identified new functions associated with stress acclimation. She also studies the regulation of sulfur metabolism.

nitrogen metabolism and PII signal transduction in green and red algae, and land plants

His main research interest is the development and application of interactomics technology in Plant Research to study the regulation of plant growth at the molecular and biochemical level. De Jaeger’s research team obtained high international visibility with their state of the art AP-MS platform that maps protein interaction networks in plants. In the passed 5 years this technology generated data for 42 TIER 25% manuscripts, holding 12 TIER 1%, and 33 TIER 5% manuscripts. He currently authored 82 A1 publications with more than 3200 life time citations, a H-index of 33, and he holds 7 patents.

Plant Research to study the regulation of plant growth

Main Research Field : Biology

Related Research Fields :Environmental science / Agricultural sciences

André Luis de Alcantara Guimarães has completed his Ph.D. in Botany from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and postdoctoral studies at the Faculty of Pharmacy from UFRJ. He is an associate professor of Faculty of Pharmacy from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He has published papers in reputed journals of Plant Science, especially with galls and their metabolical changes on host plants, and research with medicinal plants.

Medicinal Plants

Synan AbuQamar completed his Ph.D from Purdue University/Department of Botany & Plant Pathology in 2007 and his postdoctoral studies from the same university in the area of Molecular Genetics of Plant Immunity. In August 2008, Dr. AbuQamar joined the Department of Biology at the United Arab Emirates University as an Assistant Professor. Currently, he is an Associate Professor. Dr. AbuQamar's current research interest is in the area of Plant Molecular Genetics/Plant Biotechnology. He has co-authored a number of publications in peer-reviewed international journals and serves as an editorial board member in reputed journals.

Plant Pathology, Plant Molecular Genetics,Plant Biotechnology

Dr. Shane C. Burgess first in his family to complete college, he graduated with distinction as a veterinarian in 1989 from Massey University, New Zealand. He has worked in and managed veterinary clinical practices in Australia and the UK, including horses, farm animals, pets, wild and zoo animals, and emergency medicine and surgery. He did a radiology residency at Murdoch University in Perth in Western Australia, where he concurrently co-founded Perth’s first emergency veterinary clinic. He has managed aquaculture facilities in Scotland. Between 1995 and 1998, while working full time outside of the academy, he did his Ph.D. in virology, immunology and cancer biology (Bristol University Medical School, UK). Dr. Burgess worked in the UK World Reference Laboratory for Exotic Diseases during the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease crisis, where he led the diagnosis reporting office. He was awarded a Director’s Award for Service. In 2002, Dr. Burgess joined Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine as an assistant professor. He was recruited from Mississippi State as a professor, associate dean of the college and director of the Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology to lead the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in July 2011. Dr. Burgess is currently Vice President for Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Interim Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, and Director, Arizona Experiment Station at the University of Arizona. The college has a total budget of more than $120M with over 3,400 students and more than 1,800 employees. Dr. Burgess has been a Board Member of the Mississippi Biotechnology Association, served as a Mississippi Universities’ Industrial Outreach Committee member, and was President of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences, 2009-2010. He has served USDA NRSP8: National Animal Genome Research Program as a Bioinformatics Committee Member, was one of the two US (and the non-federal) Inaugural Co-chairs for the Working Group on Animal Biotechnology within the US-EC Task Force on Biotechnology, a National Executive Committee member for the Food Systems Leadership Institute, a University and Industry Consortium (UIC) Executive Committee Member and was on the UIC Project Steering Team for its assessment project to define graduate numbers/quality/skills supply vs. demand in agricultural and biotech industries (a collaboration with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities). He currently serves on the Agri-Business and Water Council of Arizona Executive Committee, the Board of Directors for Arizona Farm Bureau, the Governor’s Agricultural Best Management Practices Committee for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, the BIO5 Institute Deans’ Advisory Board, Tech Launch Arizona’s Internal Advisory Board, Arizona STEM Diploma Project Advisory committee, Flinn Foundation’s Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee, the Arizona National Livestock Show Board of Directors, and Reid Park Zoological Society Board of Directors. Dr. Burgess also serves on a number of university-level planning and strategy committees.

veterinary science, cancer, virology, proteomics, immunology and bioinformatics research

Mike Wilkinson is Professor of Upland Agriecosystems at the Pwllpeiran Uplands Research Centre of IBERS, Aberystwyth University. His research spans the interface between agriculture and the natural environment, with contributions in crop genetics and improvement, conservation of crop relatives, applied epigenetics, and environmental risk assessment of Genetically Modified Crops. His research profile includes over 100 refereed publications across >50 journals. He has an H-factor of 42, an i10-index of 86 (Google Scholar) and total citations of almost 8,000. He re-joined Aberystwyth February 2016 after a four year spell in the University of Adelaide where he held the the prestigious Mortlock chair in Plant Epigenetics, was Head of the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Director of the Plant Accelerator and Director of the Waite Research Institute. Prior to this, we worked for eleven years in the University of Reading (UK), five years at the (now) James Hutton Institute (UK) and Leicester University (UK).

Agroecosystem, Agriculture Science, Agriculture Engineering and Agriculture Biotechnology

Lack of clean water to meet society’s needs is recognized as one of the major challenges of modern times by the National Academy of Engineering. Dr. Chaubey’s research is focused on improving water quality and watershed management by integrating field data collection and mathematical modeling, and developing simulation models and tools that will guide policy decision makers, watershed managers, conservation specialists and farmers. Dr. Chaubey is unique in his integration of simulation modeling and innovative field research to improve our understanding of various rainfall-runoff and pollutant transport processes at field, stream reach and watershed scales. Dr. Chaubey is leading efforts nationally and internationally in quantifying how land use changes due to recent demand for biofuel production, agricultural intensification, and urbanization will impact water availability, water quality, and ecosystem services. His research improves watershed management decisions so that resource allocations and resulting water quality improvements can be optimized. Dr. Chaubey has published more than 400 research articles, including 105 peer reviewed journal articles and more than 180 technical papers in various conferences, and has given 50 invited presentations at various regional, national, and international conferences. He has won numerous honors and awards including New Holland Young Researcher Award, ADS/Hancor Soil and Water Conservation Award, Purdue Agricultural Research Award, Purdue University Faculty Scholar, Seed for Success Award, and Outstanding Research Award.

Ecohydrology, Source Pollution Engineering, Future of Water Resources, Design in Biological Engineering, Natural Resources Engineering, Nonpoint Source Pollution Engineering, Modeling and Simulation, NPS Pollution Control and Modeling,

Balabanov Viktor, Doctor of technical sciences, professor, Dean of the faculty "Processes and machinery in agribusiness" Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A Timiryazev (RSAU – MAA named after K.A. Timiryazev), Head of Sub Committee (SC 8) "Radio navigation and control system in agriculture" of the Technical Committee for Standardization (TC 363) "Radio navigation" Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology (Rosstandart). Author of over 300 scientific and educational works, including 25 monographs, scientific journals and popular science books, 25 descriptions of inventions. and 11 on scientific research reports. Accredited experts of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Innovation Center "Skolkovo".

Agriculture Science, Agribusiness, Agriculture Biotechnology, Agriculture Engineering

Dr Abbas Amini is an assistant professor at the Australian College of ACK and Western Sydney University, and the member of graduate supervisory board. After obtaining PhD, he conducted research with other Australian universities, as a postdoctoral research fellow at Monash and Deakin Universities, and as a senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne. His fine outcomes have been presented in high impact factor journals, e.g., Nature publication group, and a recent published book in 2016. Abbas is the editor of ten reputed journals, and the committee member of 20 international conferences.

Bionanotech

Shinsuke Agehara is currently working as Assistant Professor in Plant Physiology at the University of Florida, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. He received the B.S. degree in International Agricultural Development at Tokyo University of Agriculture in Japan in 2001, M.S. degree in Crop and Soil Sciences at Michigan State University in 2004, and Ph.D. in Horticulture at Texas A&M University in 2014. His current research program focuses on understanding plant physiological and morphological adaptation mechanisms to environmental stresses, and developing integrated sustainable management strategies for vegetable and small fruit crops.

Agriculture science, Plant science, Plant phycology

He graduated from the University of Tokyo, Department of Biochemistry, School of Science in 1974. He joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan, in 1981 and worked in the research staff for 27 years. He took his doctor’s degree at The Tohoku University in 1989. He continued his research into rice quality and processing, and was promoted to the head of the quality laboratory in 1990. He managed food research as a director of Food Science and Utilization Division at the National Food Research Institute from 2005 until 2008. He retired from MAFF and moved to Niigata University in 2008. He now majors in cereal science and processing, specializing in, quality assay and processing of rice grains. He is currently doing research into rice processing, for example, bio-functional rice bread, rice noodles, and rice cake. He has published more than 260 papers on cereal science and utilization, and he got the prizes for outstanding papers on rice qualities, PCR technology of rice authentications, and the development of bio-functional rice bread, etc.

Cereal science and processing, quality assay and processing of rice grains, bio-functional rice bread, rice noodles, and rice cake, PCR technology of rice authentications.

Dr. Siphiwe Felix M. Mkhize was employed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) , as the Head of Provincial and State Owned Entities Performance Monitoring . Previously h e was posted abroad as M inister Counselor (Agriculture), at the Embassy of South Africa in the United States of America. He represent ed the South African Agricultural interest in the Americas with accreditation to South African Missions in Canada, Cuba and Mexic o from September 2001 to July 2010 . Pr ior Dr. Mkhize is an experienced agricultural and development practitioner who has both South African and international experience. He has worked on all levels of agriculture (policy, planning , monitoring and impleme ntation). He has represented South African agricultural sector on various for ums abroad and locally. Dr. Mkhize has training in various fields of agriculture (agronomy and soils) , sustainable development and international diplomacy . He holds a Diploma i n Irrigation Sciences from Mediterranean Agronomic Institute (MAI), in Bari , Italy, a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Agronomy (Agriculture) from Iowa State University , USA, a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Soil Chemistry and Fertility from Universit y of Reading, in England, second Masters ( MPhil ) degree in Philosophy (Applied Ethics) in Environment from the University of Stellenbosch and a PhD in sustainable ecological management from the University of Pretoria , where he wr o t e his dissertation under Prof AS van Jaarsveld the current Vice Chancellor of University of KwaZulu Natal. He is registered as a Professional Natural Scientist ( Pr Nat Sc) with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions a nd al s o with the American Registry of Cer tified Professionals in Crops and Soils (ARCPCS) as a Professional Agronomist (CPAg). He is a member of the South African Soil Science Society and the American Society of Agronomy. He has written a number of papers in the field of agriculture, developmen t, ethics and agricultural biotechnology, and he is the author of two book s titled: Towards Hope and Challenge Agricultural Biotechnology and the Catholic Social Teachings: A Catholic Ethic for Agriculture, Environment, Faith and Food (2004 ) and .. . AND THE EYES OF ALL LOOKED AT HIM Understanding the Mystery of the Ministry of Permanent Diaconate (2014).

Agriculture Science, Plant science,Fisheries and Forestry

Dr. Narendra Kumar Gontia, born on July 24, 1961 did B.Tech. (Agril.Engg.) in 1983. He did his M.Tech. (SWCE) and Ph.D. Agril. Engg. from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in 1991 and 2006 respectively. He is bestowed with prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Out-standing Post-Graduate Agricultural Research 2007 by ICAR, New Delhi for his Ph. D. contribution in Soil and Water Conservation Engg. Presently working as Principal and Dean, Agril Engg. and Technology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh. He has 33 years of experience in field and academics in Agril. Engg. He has served in faculty of College of Agril Engg. and Technology, Junagadh since 30 years and hold various positions viz. Professor and Head, Dept. of SWE and Research Engineer, AICRP on Groundwater Utilization. He is the recipient of S.J. Hiran Memorial award Year 2001-02 and Distinguished Services Certificate award 1998-99 from ISAE, New Delhi for his contribution in Agricultural Engineering profession. He has good number of publications in national and international journals. He has supervised One Ph. D. and Eleven PG (M.Tech.) Theses in SWE and Seventeen UG projects. He is member of Academic Council, Research council, Extension Education council and Library council of JAU, Junagadh. He is Life Member of Nine professional societies.

Agriculture Science, Horticulture Science

Dr. Mohd Rasdi Zaini currently working at Universiti Teknologi MARA (Melaka) (UiTM) as a senior lecturer (Associate Professor), Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology. His area of specialization is Agriculture Entomology focusing on Population Ecology of Agriculture Insect-Pest, Biodiversity of Insect and Multitrophic System especially sucking pest on vegetables such as whiteflies, aphids, and thrips. Additionally, he is also doing research on major pests in oil palm plantation particularly rhinoceros beetle and bagworms. Currently, he is focused on the trophic dynamics in an agro-ecology of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) plants planted under the rain shelter. The effects of nutrients applications on the crop and early infestations by potentially serious pests; whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius) and aphids (Myzus persicae Sulzer) on several arthropod species (mainly pests) whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), aphids (Myzus persicae S.), thrips (Thrips sp.), red spider mites (Tetranychus sp.) and predatory mite (Phytoseiulus sp.) infesting the plant were also tested and investigated. He has also published more than 30 publications such as journals, books, proceeding and etc. Various experience in administration works and hold several positions in UiTM, Ex-Deputy Dean (Student Affairs) 2014-2016 in the Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, UiTM Melaka Jasin Campus and currently being one of the Panel of Academic Advisory Board (PAAB) and Fellow of International Institute of Plantation Management (FiiPM). He was appointed as Academic Advisor of College FELCRA Bhd since 2016 until present. I was also appointed as Guest lecturer for MAP (Malaysia Association Productivity) and International Institute Plantation Management to deliver subject of Crop Protection; Pest and Disease since 2006 until present.

Agriculture Science, Plant Science, Crop protection, Agriculture Entomology, Plantation Management

Dr. N.V.Naidu born in 1957 in a hamlet of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh was Graduated from S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati, A.P and obtained B.Sc (Ag) degree in 1979 and Master & Doctoral degree majoring in Genetics & Plant Breeding in 1981 & 1990 respectively from College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, APAU (Presently renamed as Acharya N.G Ranga Agricultural University). He joined in service in the A.P Agricultural University in 1983 as Research Assistant and worked in various cadres viz Assistant Research Officer in Pulses & Groundnut, Breeder in Sugarcane, Principal Scientist (Sugarcane), Associate Director of Research, Associate Dean, Director (Seeds), Professor & University Head, Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding and Director of Extension at various research Institutions & Colleges of ANGRAU. He has developed 23 improved varieties in Groundnut, Pulses, Sugarcane besides implementable technologies and recommended for commercial application. He was actively involved in the transfer of technologies to the benefit of farming community. He has published more than 100 research papers in national & international journals; number of popular articles & presented research papers in various Seminars, Symposia, Workshops and Conferences. His research contributions were recognised by the competent authorities and presented awards/prizes/appreciations by the university, Government of Andhra Pradesh and NGOs. Some of them include Best Research Worker by ANGRAU, Best Sugarcane Scientist by Sugarcane Growers Association, M/S KCP Sugar & Indcor, Ugadi Puraskharam by Government of Andhra Pradesh, Rythu Nestham by NGO, Gold and Silver medals for best research papers by SISSTA & STAI and Best team work award for Quality Seed Production by AICRP on NSP (Crops). He is a family member of IMRF and is participating in the conferences organised by IMRF since 2014. Presently working as Director of Research is guiding & coordinating research and development activities in ANGRAU.

Agriculture Science, Horticulture Science, Agricultural Biotechnology

Dr Harvinder Singh Dhaliwal, born on May 1, 1962 at village Mandhali (Mansa) was appointed as Dean, College of Agriculture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana on March 1, 2013 and prior to this he had served as Additional Director of Research (Horticulture) from March 6, 2012 to February 28, 2013. He has acted as Director of Extension Education, PAU from February 1, 2014 to October 27, 2014. He is the recipient of Punjab Sarkar Parman Patar for the year 2013 and has been conferred with Smt. Harpal Kaur Memorial Award for the year 2011 in recognition of his outstanding research, teaching and extension work in the field of Horticulture. He did B.Sc. Agriculture (Hons.) in 1984; M.Sc. (Pomology) in 1986 and Ph.D. (Pomology) in 1991from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He has been awarded Sardar Bahadur Lal Singh Gold Medal for securing first position in M.Sc. (Pomology).

Agriculture Science, Plant Science, Horticulture Science

Ilan Chet serves as Chairman of Advisory Board of Aquagro Fund and Aqua-Agro Fund, L.P. He serves as a Director at FertiSeeds Ltd. Prof. Chet served as a Member of the Board of Directors of Makhteshim Agan Industries Ltd. Prof. He also serves as a Member of the Advisory Board of Pimi Agro Cleantech, Inc., Mitam Biological Control Ltd. and Granot Ventures. He served as a Director of Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd. Prof. Chet was the President of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot from 2001 to 2006. He is a Member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and the European Academy of Sciences. He was Founding Director of the Otto Warburg Minerva Center for Agricultural Biotechnology from 1983 to 1986. He is a Professor of Microbiology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Agriculture in Rehovot, specializing in Biological Plant Control. Prof. Chet served as Director of Evogene Ltd. Prof. Chet’s scientific research focuses on the biological control of plant disease. In his field, he has published more than 350 articles in international scientific journals and edited three books. Prof. Chet has received many prestigious prizes and awards, including the Rothschild Prize in Agriculture in 1990; the Max-Planck Award for Distinguished Research in 1994; the Israel Prize in 1996; the Japanese Arima Prize for Applied Microbiology in 1996 and the Wolf Prize in 1998. He holds 32 patents. He is a prominent, leading Microbiology Scientist. He received an honorary Doctorate from Sweden’s Lund University in 1991. He has a BS, an MS and a PhD, all from Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Biological control of soil-borne plant pathogenic fungi, and genetic engineering of biocontrol agents. Lytic enzymes of fungal cell walls (chitinase and glucanases). Induced resistance of plants to fungi. Host-parasite relationship. Fungal-fungal interaction. Cell recognition and lectins. Chitin synthesis inhibition. Biochemical aspects of fungal morphogenesis. Microbial degradation of ligno-cellulose.

Byoung Ryong Jeong completed PhD (Nitrogen nutrition in bedding plants) from Colorado State University, USA.Later in 2008 became President of Korean Society Plug Seedling Research and presently Vice President for Publication & Editor-in-chief of the journal, 'Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology' Korean Soc. Hort. Sci

Horticultural and medicinal crop production in plant factory systems Organogenic and somatic embryogenic micropropagation Substrate development and hydroponic solution recycling Silicon as a nutrient for horticultural crops Propagation and cultivation of roses Control of stem stretchiness in container-grown plants by genetic and cultural means

Dr. Leclerc joined the ranks of the faculty at the University of Georgia in 1995, where she served as an associate professor until 2001, when she became a full professor. She was previously an associate professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Quebec at Montreal (1990-1995) while being simultaneously an adjunct professor at McGill University in the Department of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences (1991-1996). In 1988, she was invited to work at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) during her faculty appointment as an assistant professor at Utah State University from 1987-1990.

Dr. Leclerc is interested in the transport of gases to and from vegetation. She is also looking at the transport of gases, energy and heat inside vegetation canopies,biomicrometeorology.

Graziano Ghinassi born in Talla (Arezzo) in 1961 and graduated in Agricultural Science at University of Florence in 1988. He began research with a doctorate in the Department of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering (DIAF) of University of Florence. Since 1997 he is a researcher at the University of Florence . Is engaged use of irrigation water, both agricultural and residential. He has participated in national and international research groups and has been scientific coordinator of national research projects. IS member associations and academies, as well as Italian representative at the International Commission working groups Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). He is the author of over 40 publications on the use of water in agriculture, the productive response of crops with different irrigation management,irrigation deficit. He is the author of blackberries than 40 papers on agricultural water use, crop yield response to different irrigation managements, irrigation deficit. He authored the ICID manual on the performance evaluation of sprinkler and drip irrigation systems

He is interested in the irrigation use of water, both agricultural and residential.

Dr., Prof. Feibo Wu has completed her PhD in 2003 from Zhejiang University (ZJU). She is the Deputy Director of Crop Science Institute of ZJU. Her main research interest is evaluation and identification of plant germplasm, mainly in barley, resistant/tolerant to abiotic stresses and its molecular physiology, and phytoremediation of metal-contaminated environments and safe crop production. She has published 97 papers in reputed SCI-JOURNALS and has been serving as an editorial board member of Plant Growth Regulation.

Molecular physiology of abiotic stress tolerance in crops; Plant germplasm evaluation, mainly in barley; Phytoremediation of metal-contaminated environments and safe crop production

He is been the research scientist 2007−present in the Department of Food Technology , Ataturk Central Horticultural Research Institute. He was also an auditor of 'Food Safety and Standards’ 2004−2007 in the Agriculture Ministry Office, Yalova, Turkey

New food technologies, Table olive technology, Food technology, Olive oil, Functional foods, Food safety.

Laura Rival is Associate Professor at Oxford where she has been teaching and researching the anthropology of nature, society and development since 2001. In addition to her position at the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID, also known as Queen Elizabeth House, QEH), where she has directed the MPhil in Development Studies, she is an active member of the School of Anthropology (SAME), the Institute of Human Sciences (IHS), and the Latin American Centre (LAC)Technology

Historical and political ecology; development and environmental policies in Latin America

Dr. (Mrs.) Angela M. Lamptey is a Lecturer at the Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon. She has a Ph.D in Fisheries Science from the University of Ghana. Her research interests include Aquaculture, Fisheries Ecology, Fish feeding habits, Biodiversity studies (Seabirds and sea turtles), aquatic biotopes studies and water quality studies. She is a reviewer to a number of International Peer-reviewed Journals and has over seven (7) publications in top peer-reviewed journals. She is a motivational speaker to various youth groups and a role model for young ladies.

Aquaculture, Seabird-fisheries interactions, Seabirds ecology, Fisheries ecology, Water quality studies, Fish feeding habits, Biodiversity studies (Seabirds and sea turtles), Aquatic biotopes studies.

Daniele De Wrachien is full professor of Irrigation and Drainage at the Department of Agricultural Engineering of the State University of Milan. He graduated in Geology at the same University ,where he received is PhD in Applied Geology. Director of the Institute of agricultural Hydraulics ( 2000-2006) Director of the Computer Centre of the Faculty of Agriculture ( 1989 - 1995) President of EurAgEng (European Society of Agricultural Engineers ) (2002-2004) Member of the Executive Board of CIGR ( International Commission of Agricultural Engineering ) ( 2006- 2014) Member of the Executive Board of ICID (International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage) (2005-2012) Member of the Board of Directors of WIT ( Wessex Institute of Technology ) (2010-2014) Author of more than 150 publications ( scientific papers ,keynote papers,books and technical papers ) Organizer of more than fifty international Events ( Conferences, Congresses,Symposia and Workshops ) held in about fifteen countries throughout Europe,Africa,Asia,America, Australia

water resources management; irrigation and drainage technology; performance assessment of sprinkler irrigation systems; modelling of transport processes in porous media ;modelling and fluid-dynamics of debris and hyper-concentrated flows; flood control and mitigation measures; desertification and environmental impact of climate change.

Prashant Kawar joined ICAR-CPRI, Shimla in 2014 as Sr. Scientist and led the multi-faceted biotechnology project . He has published 23 research papers in peer reviewed journals, 2 books, 2 book chapters, many popular articles in vernacular languages, 1 biology documents, 2 training manual, 4 invited review papers, more than 20 national and international conference papers, 1500 ESTs sequences, 13 MYB genes, 3 promoters. He was organizing committee member of International Conference on potato held at Shimla in 2015 and actively involved in organizing training programs as well.In 2005, he joined at VSI, Pune as Scientist and leaded the genomics & proteomics group for almost 8 years during his stay identified 13 MYB-TFs and three stress-inducible promoters from sugarcane for stress tolerance. In 2012 he was awarded the prestigious CREST fellowship by DBT-GOI to work at JIC, Norwich, UK on metabolic engineering of tomato to produce high levels of important polyphenolic phytonutrients and explore their usefulness for health promoting benefits for preventing many human diseases or disorders, the findings of this work were published in Nature Communication

Agriculture and crop science

Dr. Raveendra H. Patil, also internationally known by the name Dr. Ravi Patil obtained his B.Sc. (Agricultural Sciences; 1990-94), First Rank to the University (Four Gold Medals), M.Sc. (Agronomy; 1994-96), First Rank to the University (Two Gold Medals), and Ph.D (Agroforestry Systems 1997-2000) from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India (www.uasd.edu). As an outstanding student Dr. Patil received University Merit Scholarship for B.Sc. degree program, ICAR Junior and Senior Research Fellowships for M.Sc. and PhD, respectively, and ASPEE R&D, Mumbai research fellowship for M.Sc. degree program. Soon after completing PhD, he joined UAS, Dharwad as Assistant Professor in Feb. 2000. Since then he has carried out teaching, research and extension activities at different campuses of the UAS Dharwad.

Agro-forestry and Sustainable production systems Crop production under changing climate and plant nutrition Soil nutrient cycling and GHG emissions from agro-ecosystems Crop model application to assess climate change impacts and identify adaptation strategies

Dr. Grace Chen obtained her Ph.D from University of Wisconsin at Madison, and did her postdoctoral studies from University of California ̶ Plant Gene Expression Center. She has published more than 44 papers in reputed journals is globally recognized as an expert on oilseed biotechnology.

Plant Gene Expression

Nurul Faridi has completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge, England, UK, 1988 and worked at the International Rice Research Institute and Intl. Maize and Wheat Research Institute, Mexico from 1989 to 1994, and then worked in the Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University until 2003 before joining with the USDA Forest Service. He has been working in conventional and molecular plant cytogenetics for the last 25 years and published about 70 papers in reputed journals.

Forest science

Leon Daniel van Rensburg is a soil physicist lecturing soil and water management at the University of the Free State, South Africa. He established and maintained a vibrate post-graduate research team, which currently consisted of 2 post-doctoral fellows, 4 doctoral students and 8 master students. The team focus mainly on soil and water management off dryland, irrigation as well as natural field and they published in the last 6 years about 45 scientific articles. He is leading two projects of national importance for South Africa, viz. (i) Management guidelines for technology transfer to reduce salinisation of irrigated land with precision agriculture funded by the Water Research Commission and (ii) the soil water balance of the Ghaap Platue as influenced by open cast mining funded by Sishen Iron Ore Company (Anglo American Kolomela). Both projects are scheduled for five years.

Agriculture Science

Petronia Carillo is an associate professor of plant physiology at the University of Campania, Italy. She has a strong theoretical and practical background in plant physiology, plant molecular biology, enzymology and metabolite profiling. Her research interests are centered on the interactions between nitrogen assimilation and carbon metabolism, and their short-term and long-term control mechanisms in photosynthetic organisms (unicellular algae and plants). At present, her main focus is the metabolite profiling of crop plants and plant model systems for the comprehension of the fundamental plant molecular and physiological responses to salinity, instrumental for developing new strategies to improve salt tolerance in agricultural crops. Since 2001, she collaborates with researchers of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany, for developing new high-throughput methods to measure enzyme activities and metabolites in plants. She is also interested in the valorization and reuse of agricultural residues in a bio-economy perspective

plant physiology, plant molecular biology, enzymology and metabolite profiling

Vanderlan da S. Bolzani is full professor at Sao Paulo State University (UNESP). Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (ABC) and São Paulo Academy of Science (ACIESP) and TWAS, is CNPq Fellow level 1A, and has received several awards, highlighting: 2015 ABIQUIM Award on research innovation; 2014 CAPES-Elsevier Award for the contributions to science in Brazil, Distinguished Woman in Science Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, conceived by ACS & IUPAC (2011); Simão Mathias Medal, the highest honor conferred by Brazilian Chemical Society (2011). With Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, under guidance of Prof. Otto R. Gottlieb, at University of São Paulo, in 1990 she was awarded with a fellowship from DAAD for a short training at University of Hannover. After a post-doctorate at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPISU-USA) under guidance of Prof. David Kingston, she joined to the UNESP, and since 2003, is member of the Biota-FAPESP Program Coordination. Her field of interest is plant science, and has been involved in the isolation, bioactivity and function of secondary metabolites and peptides from plants, and recently has been involved on metabolomics and medicinal chemistry. Has published > 270 papers, 7 patents, and 5 book chapter (ih = 39). Since 2011 is member of the Scientific Advisory Board of L’Oréal in Paris.

bioactivity and function of secondary metabolites and peptides from plants

Caroline Janitz is the manager of the Next-Generation Sequencing Facility at Western Sydney University, Australia. Along with supervising her team, Caroline is responsible for both the development and implementation of technological improvements in the NGS pipeline. Caroline acquired her PhD in molecular genetics from the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, under the supervision of Prof. Hans Lehrach, the Director of the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin. Her PhD thesis focused on an investigation of the molecular mechanism of renal damage in the course of rat hypertension using laser microdissection and Affymetrix gene expression profiling.

Molecular Genetics, Geneexpression

Taoufik Ksiksi is an Associate Professor (Plant Ecology) working at the UAE University. He deals with the impact of environmental factors/stresses on eco-physiological parameters of desert plants. Karthishwaran Kandhan is Post-Doctoral fellow at the UAEU. His expertise relates to the assessment of phytochemicals on plants species.

Plant Ecology

André Luis de Alcantara Guimarães has completed his Ph.D. in Botany from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and postdoctoral studies at the Faculty of Pharmacy from UFRJ. He is an associate professor of Faculty of Pharmacy from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He has published papers in reputed journals of Plant Science, especially with galls and their metabolical changes on host plants, and research with medicinal plants.

medicinal plants

Nabil Killiny is Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology and Nematology & Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, University of Florida. The French Society of Phytopathology, awarded with student fellow travel Award, 2004 Synergistic Activities: Ad Hoc Manuscript Review: Plant Pathology, Phytopathology, Journal of Bacteriology, PLoS One, Journal of Insect Physiology, Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions,Current Microbiology, Electron Microscope Techniques, Biomedicine and Biotechnology, European Journal of Plant Pathology

Plant Pathology, Phytopathology

A.A. Ivlev has completed his PhD at the age of 27 years from Chemical Technology University of D.I. Mendeleev. and got his 2-nd PhD from Institute of Chemical Physics of RAS. In 2005 he has discovered a link between carbon isotope distribution and temporal organization of cell processes and was awarded with medal “To Author of Scientific Discovery” by Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. Since 1995 he is Professor of Russian State Agrarian University of K,A. Timiryazev. He has published 66 papers in reputed journals and 4 monographs. The field of his scientific interests includes isotope fractionation in metabolism, photosynthesis, plant physiology, cell mechanisms, evolution, climatology.

plant physiology, cell mechanisms, evolution, climatology.

Rajinder Singh is currently a Principal Research Officer at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board. Rajinder has been with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board for the last 19 years. He holds a PhD in Plant Genetics and is currently the Head of Genomics Unit of the Advanced Biotechnology & Breeding Centre, at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). Rajinder has authored and co-authored more than 32 refereed publications

Plant Genetics

Dr Milan S. Stankovic has received his PhD in University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science, Republic of Serbia during the period of 2007-2012. Currently, he is working as assistant professor an the same University. His research has included Plant biology and ecology. He is serving as an editorial member of several reputed journals like Plants, Advanced Crop Science, Research in Plant Science. He has authored 45 scientific papers published in international journals, 8 scientific papers published in national journals, 36 International conference proceedings and 46 national conference proceedings

Plant biology and ecology

Prof Fhatuwani Nixwell Mudau completed a B.Sc Agric (Crop Science) at the University of Venda in 1996. He then registered M.Sc. in Horticulture at the University of Stellenbosch where he conducted research on citrus nutrition. He completed a PhD (Horticultural Sciences) at the University of Pretoria and he has done extensive research in herbal medicine. He has completed Masters in Business Leadership (MBL) at UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership. His previous working experience includes Vista University VUDEC, Campus (Now Incorporated to University of South Africa), University of Venda and University of Limpopo as a Lecturer. In 2006, he was seconded to establish a fully funded Research Centre as an Associate Professor and Centre Manager known as Limpopo Agro Food Technology Station (LATS) by Tshumisano Trust (Now Technology Innovation Agency (TIA). He then joined the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) under Food and Beverages (Now Agro-Industries) Strategic Business Unit (SBU); HealthCare and Education (SBU) as a Specialist

Prof Fhatuwani Nixwell Mudau interests inclide project development and implementation in Agro Industries, Education and Healthcare sectors

R. R. Sharma after post-graduation from IARI, New Delhi, joined as Scientist there in 1997. He is Senior Scientist and associated with release of mango hybrids like Pusa Arunima, Pusa Surya, Pusa Lalima, Pusa Shresth, Pusa Pitamber etc. He has published 40 research articles in International journals, 60 in National journals, and authored 8 books. He is recipient of Dr. R.N. Singh award (twice), Dr Rajinder Prasad award (twice), and Himachal Shri Award. He has also served as International Mango Registrar for about 5 years (1999-2004). He is member, editorial board of Scientia Horticulturae, International Journal of Fruit Science (U.K.), American Journal of Plant Sciences (US), Journal of Food Processing and Technology (US), and Stewart Postharvest Reviews (UK), and Chief Editor of International Journal of Processing and Postharvest Technology, India.

Pre and Post harvest handling of temperate fruits, Food Science

Born in Haifa in 1939, Prof. Ilan Chet completed his doctoral work in microbiology at the Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was Dean and Vice President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Prof. Chet received the Max-Planck Award (1994), the Israel Prize (1996), the Wolf Prize (1998), the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany (2001) and the French “Chevalier” Legion of Honor award (2014). From 2001 to 2006, Prof. Chet was nominated President of the Weizmann Institute of Science. He has been a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities since 1998 and of the European Academy of Sciences since 2004. In 2014, he was elected a member of the Academia Europea. Prof. Chet is the Deputy Secretary General for Higher Education and Research in the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean since 2010.

Biological control of plant diseases, Induced resistance, Molecular biology of fungi, Sustainable agriculture, Food security

Upendra M Sainju is currently working on the effects of tillage, crop rotation, crop diversity, cropping intensity, and cultural practices on soil aggregation, organic matter concentration, microbial activities, nitrogen mineralization, and carbon and nitrogen sequestration in dryland areas. He is also engaged in studying the effects of irrigation management, nitrogen fertilization rates, and cultural practices in nitrate-nitrogen movement in soil that affects water quality, soil organic matter level, and nitrogen mineralization in irrigated land. He is also involved in the development of methodology for determination of soil aggregation for dryland and irrigated areas and extraction method for determining ammonium and nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in the soils of various textures amended with or without plant residue.

Upendra M Sainju eight years working on the long-term effects of tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilization on crop production, carbon sequestration in plant and soil, soil nitrogen fertility, microbial activities, and nitrogen leaching at Fort Valley State University, he developed a management practice consisting of conservation tillage, cover cropping, and nitrogen rate that sustains crop production, improves soil and water qualities, and reduces the rate of nitrogen fertilization as compared with the conventional practice.

Dr Johan van Rooyen is currently the director of “The Standard Bank Centre for Agri-leadership & Mentorship Development” and professor in Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University. He teaches Agri-business strategy, Agricultural and rural development and Business cases at the University of Stellenbosch and also lectures at the Universities of Free State, Pretoria, Antwerpen and the University of Ghent, Belgium. To-date he published more than 100 peer group refereed scientific papers, five academic books on Agri-business & Agri- development and presented over 100 papers at local and international events. He is a NRF rated scientist. Prof van Rooyen serves on a number of boards of agri-business companies and agencies, is currently a board member of IAMA (the International Agri-business and Food Industry Management Association) and serves on an expert panel of the “World Competitive Report”, University of Laussanne, Switzerland. He served on a number of committees, including the ‘Agricultural Sector Plan’ task team (2000-2001); served as ministerial appointment on the ‘Agri-BEE steering committee (2005-2008); managed the drafting of the ‘S.A. Wine Industry Transformation Charter and BEE Score Card’ (2003-2007); and served full terms on the boards of the S.A. Land and Agricultural Development Bank (2000-2004) and on the S.A. Agricultural Research Council (1996-2000). Previous employment includes: The Development Bank of Southern Africa (1984-1993) - Executive Group Manager, Agriculture and Rural Development; and Director of the Centre for Policy Analysis; Director of the Postgraduate School for Agricultural and Rural Development & Professor in the ABSA Chair of Agribusiness Management, University of Pretoria (1993-2002); CEO, Agri-business Chamber of S.A (1998-2002); CEO of the S.A. Wine Industry Council (2003-2008). His achievements include: Served On A Number Of Boards Of Agri-Business Companies And Agencies ( New Farmers Development Co, Aquaharvest, Sa Brandy Foundation, Winetech, Sawis, Wosa), President Of The Agricultural Economics Association Of South Africa, Chair Of The Agricultural Outlook Conference(Lanvokon) and Elected An Ifama Fellow In 2014, Co-Chair Ifama 2014 World Conference In Cape Town and Operate As Specialist Consultant In Agribusiness – Strategic Planning And Policy Development.

Agri-business, Agricultural and rural development, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Economy

Professor Byoung Ryong Jeong has completed his PhD at the age of 31 years from Colorado State University, USA, and postdoctoral studies from University of Missouri-Columbia, USA, and Chiba University, Japan. He is a professor in Department of Horticulture and the Dean of College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea. He has published more than 250 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editor-in-chief of Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology, and president of the Korean Society for Floricultural Science. (Up to 100 words)

Climate Change, Conservation Biology, Genetics, Climatology, Ornamental Horticulture, Plant Tissue culture and micropropagation

Dr. Ashok K Patra, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, India. He did his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. He was a Post Doctoral Researchers at ICRISAT, India; IGER, UK; INRA, France; and University of Notre Dame, USA. He was a Principal Soil Scientist (2006 to 2014) at IARI, New Delhi. He is a recipient of British Council TCT Award; Royal Society Award; DBT Overseas Associateship Award; Hooker Award of IARI; and he is a Fellow of the Indian Society of Soil Science and National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India. His research area includes nitrogen cycling, soil biodiversity, carbon sequestration and nanoparticles. With more than 200 publications in his credit he is serving as a member of editorial board of reputed journals.

Nitrogen cycling, soil biodiversity, carbon sequestration and nanoparticle

Francis Lewu obtained BSc Agriculture in Plant Breeding and Seed Technology and MSc Agronomy in Nigeria. He started his career as a Genebank Research Assistant in International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Nigeria and later proceeded to study PhD Botany with specialization in plant genetic conservation and propagation. After his postdoctoral study, he joined the Department of Agriculture, University of Zululand, South Africa as a Lecturer in 2008 and was appointed HOD, of the department in January 2009; a position he held till end of May 2011. Francis Lewu joined the Cape Peninsula University of Technology as HOD of Agriculture Department in the Faculty of Applied Sciences. He was appointed Associate Professor in 2014 and became a C Rated National Research Foundation Scholar of South Africa during the same year. He is a qualified Professional Natural Scientist and has supervised and mentored master and doctoral students to completion. Prof Lewu currently concentrates his research effort on the autecology and propagation of screened medicinals and alternative cultivation protocols for field crops and horticultural species. He is editorial member of many journals and serves as reviewer to the NRF, several local and international journals and reviews many masters and doctoral thesis for several universities.

Autecology, Propagation of screened medicinals, Crop Science, Horticulture

Halos-Kim, is a Registered Professional Agricultural Engineer in the Philippines and has over 30 years’ experience working on crop processing, postharvest and food engineering research, development, and most recent, on Extension, in Asia and Africa. She was the Former Head of the Postharvest Engineering Unit, IITA in Nigeria & a Researcher with the Agricultural Engineering Department of IRRI in Philippines. From 2009, Engr. Leony is the Thematic Director of the Postharvest and Agro processing (PHAP) Extension of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) and is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Halos-Kim leads a team of specialists (agricultural engineers, food technologist, rural development experts and economists) in Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria and Uganda to promote the use of appropriate technologies to reduce losses, improve quality and food safety, and enhance food security and income of smallholder farmers in SAA focus countries, and in Africa in general.

Agricultural Engineering, Agro-processing, Crop Processing, Farm Power and Machinery, Postharvest Technology, Food Process Engineering, Agricultural Extension, Rural Development Works

Shashi Sharma is Professor and Chair in Biosecurity and Food Security, and Centre Director of Australia-China Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry at Murdoch University in Western Australia. Until his appointment at Murdoch University, Professor Sharma was Director of Plant Biosecurity at the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia from where he is on secondment. He has had a long career in food and agriculture spanning over 35 years and it includes working in several countries in different spheres of agriculture -- on-farm, post-harvest, trade, quarantine and biosecurity policy and planning, regulation, legislation and science. He studied for his MSc and PhD degrees at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) New Delhi and later returned to IARI as Professor and Head of the Division of Nematology. He worked well over a decade as a Scientist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), spent his sabbatical at the Delta Centre of the University of Missouri, USA and International Fellowship at the Rothamsted International, UK. He is recipient of several awards in recognition of his contributions to agriculture including Excellence in Science Award of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research. Professor Sharma is a strong advocate of biosecurity as an integral component of global food security strategy and has been internationally speaking on biosecurity and food security issues for a number of years.

Food sustainably, Bio-security and policy, Food safety and Food security, Post-harvest food loss and food waste management, Managing chemical contaminants, and Innovative technologies for improved market access and trade.

A. Gattinger is agronomist and soil ecologist and coordinates climate-related research at FiBL Switzerland and Germany (www.fibl.org). He studied agriculture at the universities in Kassel/ Germany and Aberdeen/UK and got his PhD at TU München/Germany. He has international scientific expertise in the field of soil ecology and climate impact of farming systems. A. Gattinger is author/co-author of currently 47 peer-reviewed papers and teaches soil ecology at the universities Basel/CH and Giessen/Germany. He chairs the International Round Table of Organic Agriculture and Climate Change, an international, multi-stakeholder association. Furthermore, he is a member in the German organic grower association Naturland and runs an organic farm in Selters, Germany.

Climate impact of farming systems, Greenhouse gas fluxes in soil-plant systems, Structure and function of soil microbial communities as influenced by agricultural management, Adaptive capacity of soils and farming systems to climate change, Soil and water conservation including water and nutrient use efficiency.

Dr. Raveendra H Patil completed his PhD from Copenhagen University, Denmark and has worked as Post-Doctoral Researcher at Yangzhou University, China, University of Nottingham, UK, Aarhus University, Denmark, and University of Florida, USA. Now Dr. Patil is based in India at UAS, Dharwad involved in teaching and supervision of Graduate students, undertaking research on climate change impact and adaptation studies in agriculture, precision agriculture, and sustainable production systems, among others. He is a recipient of Young Scientist award from the Indian Government (ICAR, New Delhi) and ISCA, Kolkata, India for his work on agro-forestry, and over the years he has received number of national and international fellowships. For instance, ICAR Junior & Senior Fellowship, Chinese Govt. Fellowship, The Royal Society, London, UK Fellowship, The Danish Government Post-Doc Fellowship and NSF, USA Post-Doc Research Associate Fellowship. He has published more than 50 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member and reviewer to number of reputed journals.

Agro-forestry and Sustainable production systems Crop production under changing climate and plant nutrition Soil nutrient cycling and GHG emissions from agro-ecosystems Crop model application to assess climate change impacts and identify adaptation strategies

Dr. Mannava Sivakumar was the former Director, Climate Prediction and Adaptation Branch (CLPA) in the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Weather and Climate Extremes Journal published by Elsevier and a senior Consultant with World Bank and WMO. He obtained his M.Sc (Agronomy) from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India, in 1972; and Ph.D in Agricultural Climatology from the Iowa State University (USA) in 1977. From 1977 to 1996, Dr Sivakumar worked at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India (1977-83) and in West Africa (1984-96) occupying the positions successively of Agroclimatologist, Principal Agroclimatologist, Team Leader, Resource Management Programme and Director, Soils and Agroclimatology Division. In July 1996, Dr Sivakumar joined the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and served as the Chief of the Agricultural Meteorology Division until 2008 when he was appointed as the Director of the Climate Prediction and Adaptation Branch (CLPA). Dr Sivakumar has over 300 publications to his credit, including 53 books and 85 articles in various international journals. Dr. Sivakumar received the "Young Scientist Award' and the Science Academy Medal from the Indian National Science Academy of India in 1983. He is a Fellow of seven international scientific societies including the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of India, the Indian Meteorological Society, the National Environmental Science Academy, the American Society of Agronomy, the Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences of Belgium, the Academy of Georgofili of Italy and Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Biodiversity Science. Dr Sivakumar received the 2007 International Service in Agronomy Award from the American Society of Agronomy, the Award of Excellence for exceptional and outstanding contributions in the field of Science from the Telugu Association of North America (TANA) in 2009 and the Bharat Jyoti Award from the India International Friendship Society in 2012.

Agricultural Climatology, Agronomy

Dr. Mohammad Reza Alizadeh has completed his PhD. in the field of Agricultural Machinery Engineering from Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, I.R. Iran in 2007. He works as Associate Professor and head of Agricultural Engineering Department, the Rice Research Institute of Iran (RRII) with nearly 25 years active research experiences in the area of mechanization of agricultural crop production and post-production. He has authored and co-authored more than 80 original and review papers in the national and international peer-reviewed journals. He joined as a member of the editorial board and reviewer of many international reputed journals related to agricultural engineering and post-harvest technology.

Field and post-harvest machinery management, Design and development of agricultural machinery, Engineering Properties of Agricultural Products, Precision Farming in plant Production and Post-Production.

Dr. Kazi Kamrul Islam has completed his MSc from Wageningen University, the Netherlands and PhD from Kyushu University, Japan. Dr. K.K. Islam has also completed his postdoctoral studies from Kyushu University in 2015. Currently he is the head and Associate Professor at the Department of Agroforestry, Bangladesh Agricultural University (a renounced and famous agricultural university in Asia). He has published more than 40 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of number of Journals.

Agroforestry, Agroecology, Forest Conservation, Forest Management, Forest Economics, Natural Resource Management

Dr Sani Yusuf Ahmad is an Associate Professor in Agronomy with specialization in Horticultural Production. He obtained his B. Agriculture, MSc. and Ph.D degrees from the famous Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria in 1995, 2003 and 2010, respectively. He is a member of several professional bodies and has several publications in reputable national, International journals and numerous research/technical reports to his credit. He is currently a lecturer/researcher at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria where he is actively involved in teaching, training, research and extension services. He attended several International Conferences and trainings across the globe.

Agronomy, Agriculture Extension, Horticulture

Dr. Sunday Yiseyon Hosu was born in Ogun State Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics and Farm Management from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria in 2004. He obtained Masters Degree from Nigeria’s premier university: the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, in 2007 and PhD in Agricultural/Environmental Economics from the University of Fort Hare in 2013. His PhD thesis is a holistic attempt to know the determinants of food system among the poor households in the semi-arid region; the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. He focused on modeling small farms’ optimal productivity under stressed environmental conditions, resource utilization and effective institutional services provision. His study made insight on the necessary conditions to boost smallholder productivity and food security among the small-holder farmers in the Eastern Cape Province. His research interest focuses on optimal resource utilization for sustainable livelihood, food security and food systems as well as rural poverty analysis. He has authored and co-authored manuscripts and proposal with others. He has read papers on food issues at several local and international conferences. Dr Hosu is the Lead Researcher and Consultant, Sunclare Consults Limited, a-one- stop research outfit for solutions to agriculture and agribusinesses issues based in Nigeria. He is currently a Research Fellow at Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, Eastern Cape.

Optimal resource utilization for sustainable livelihood, food security and food systems as well as rural poverty analysis

Dr Olayinka Ayobami AIYEGORO obtained a doctoral degree in Microbiology (Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology) from the renowned University of Fort Hare in South Africa. He has a versatile research career in applied microbiology- his research emphases include: Public Health Microbiology, Phytomedicine, Probiotics and Prebiotics Research. He has published above 40 research articles in international peer reviewed ISI rated journals and also has 2 book chapters in his archives. Dr Aiyegoro is a rated researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and also a registered professional member of South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions. He has worked as a University lecturer, research scientist and currently he is a Senior Researcher/Project Manager in GI Microbiology and Biotechnology Unit of Agricultural research Council- Animal Production Institute, South Africa. His daily activities include: researching students supervision, project and financial management, office administration and other Ad hoc duties.

Public Health Microbiology, Phytomedicine, Probiotics and Prebiotics Research

Dr. Justin K. Urassa holds a PhD (Developme Studies) and an M.Sc. Social research Methods (Development Studies) from the university of Sussex (United Kingdom), A Post-graduate Diploma in Poverty Analysis for Socioeconomic Security and Development from the Institute of Social Studies-The Hague, Holland in collaboration with the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF)-Tanzania and Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA)-Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, an MSc. and B.Sc. (Agriculture) from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and a Diploma in Dairy Husbandry from Livestock Training Institute (LITI) Tengeru, Tanzania. In addition to his regular academic activities at the university he also acted as Associate Director for the Development Studies Institute, SUA from July 2004 to October 2005. Before Joining SUA in December 1999 he worked as a Livestock Tutor at the Ministry of Agriculture Training Institute (MATI) Mlingano, Tanga.

Rural livelihoods and well-being, Poverty analysis, Food Security, Agricultural and rural development, Policy analysis, Social development and gender and development.

Dr. (Mrs.) Angela M. Lamptey is a Lecturer at the Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon. She has a Ph.D in Fisheries Science from the University of Ghana. Her research interests include Aquaculture, Fisheries Ecology, Fish feeding habits, Biodiversity studies (Seabirds and sea turtles), aquatic biotopes studies and water quality studies. She is a reviewer to a number of International Peer-reviewed Journals and has over seven (7) publications in top peer-reviewed journals. She is a motivational speaker to various youth groups and a role model for young ladies.

Aquaculture, Seabird-fisheries interactions, Seabirds ecology, Fisheries ecology, Water quality studies, Fish feeding habits, Biodiversity studies (Seabirds and sea turtles), Aquatic biotopes studies.

YuegangZuo is currently a Full Professor in analytical and environmental chemistry and Director of Graduate Programs at Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He received his BS degree from Wuhan University, MS from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and PhD from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. One of his recent research areas has focused on separation, identification and quantification of phenolic antioxidants in plants and examine their bioavailability in humans and animals. He has published over 70 peer-reviewed papers in prestigious international scientific journals such as Science, and JAFC.

Separation, identification and quantification of phenolic antioxidants in plants

Nnadozie Oraguzie received his PhD in Plant breeding and genetics at Lincoln University, New Zealand and worked for a year as a Post-Doctoral researcher at Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand, before joining Plant and Food Research (PFR) Institute, New Zealand as Research Scientist in 1998. At PFR, he was the Manager of the national pome fruit germplasm collection and an Objective Leader in the Pome fruit breeding consortium program. With the help of a fellowship from the Science and Technology Agency (STA) of Japan in 2001, he led an international collaboration including PFR, Hirosaki University and the National Institute of Tree Fruit Science, Morioka, Japan, that first linked an allele of the Md-ACS1 gene to fruit softening in apple. He was also the recipient of an Invitation Fellowship from the Japan Ministry of Science and Technology in 2006. He joined the faculty of Washington State University (WSU) in 2008 as Associate Professor. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed journal publications and a book, and currently serves on the editorial board of two journals.

His current research interests are at the interface of breeding and genomics. He leads the stone fruit breeding, genetics and extension program at WSU with emphasis on developing new sweet cherry varieties suited for growing in the PNW regions of the USA. He also has research interests in the genetics and genomics of traits that govern consumer appreciation of fresh fruit products in apple and pear.

Waled Elkhoby currently working at Agricultural Research Center, Field Crops Research Institute, Rice Research and Training Center (RRTC), Egypt

Crop Science

Shyam S Yadav completed his Bachelor Degree in agriculture at the University of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, in 1964, and a Master Degree in Genetics & Plant Breeding from University of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1967. He completed a PhD in Genetics & Plant Breeding from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India, in 1987. Dr. Yadav has a very wide working experience at different research organizations. During 1969 to 2006, he worked at Division of Genetics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi on various capacities. In 2008 to 2010, he was working with National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), PNG as Chief Scientist. During 2010 to 2012 he was holding the position of International Advisor in Agriculture for Capacity Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock (MAIL), Kabul, Afghanistan. At different occasions, he also worked as a short time consultant with FAO, UNDP, ACIAR, DPI-Victoria, Australia, State University of Montana, USA etc. Dr Shyam S Yadav is working as Freelance International Research Consultant in Agriculture. Simultaneously, Dr. Yadav is also working as President, Manav Foundation at Manav Yadav Memorial Trust, Vikaspuri, New Delhi, India. He is also engaged as a part time International Research Advisor in Agriculture on Capacity Development in Agriculture at Agriculture Research Institute of Afghanistan (ARIA), Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan. Dr Yadav has a wide working experience as an agriculture scientist, consultant, and expert in different countries across the continents ranging from Australia, United States, Asia, and the Pacific Region. His primary interest of research has been focused on plant breeding, development of integrated crop production and management technologies and their dissemination among farming communities at village levels in diversified ecologies, mentoring and coaching of graduate and post graduate students, agricultural personnel, NGOs, and different stakeholders. Dr. Yadav has worked as Chief Editor for books on Crop Wild Relatives & Climate Change in 2015, A Publication of Wiley - Blackwell Inc. USA, Crop Adaptation to Climate Change in 2011, A Publication of Wiley – Blackwell Inc. USA, Climate Change and Management of Cool Season Grain Legume Crops in 2010, A Publication of Springer, The Netherlands, Chickpea Breeding and Management in 2007, A Publication of CABI, UK, and Lentils: An Ancient Crop of Modern Times in 2007, A Publication of Springer, The Netherlands.

Plant Breeding, Integrated Crop Production

Raveendra H Patil completed his PhD from Copenhagen University, Denmark and has worked as Post-Doctoral Researcher at Yangzhou University, China, University of Nottingham, UK, Aarhus University, Denmark, and University of Florida, USA. Now Dr. Patil is based in India at UAS, Dharwad involved in teaching and supervision of Graduate students, undertaking research on climate change impact and adaptation studies in agriculture, precision agriculture, sustainable production systems, among others. He is a recipient of Young Scientist award from the Indian Government (ICAR, New Delhi) and ISCA, Kolkata, India for his work on agro-forestry, and over the years he has received number of national and international fellowships. For instance, ICAR Junior & Senior Fellowship, Chinese Govt. Fellowship, The Royal Society, London, UK Fellowship, The Danish Government Post-Doc Fellowship and NSF, USA Post-Doc Research Associate Fellowship. He has published more than 50 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member and reviewer to number of reputed journals. He is one of the organizing committee members of this agri-2015 conference in Beijing.

Agro-forestry and Sustainable production systems
Crop production under changing climate and plant nutrition
Soil nutrient cycling and GHG emissions from agro-ecosystems
Crop model application to assess climate change impacts and identify adaptation strategies

Awarded with PhD (Horticulture) in 1991 and PDF (Visiting Scientist) from AVRDC (TAIWAN) in 1994-1995. Handled 21 externally funded schemes as Principal Investigator with the budget of Rs. 448.94 lakhs. Completed 15 schemes with the budget of Rs. 575.94 lakhs funded by various government, private and foreign agencies. Acted as backbone and catalyst for releasing more than 21 varieties and numerous horticultural techniques. Worked as the Dean, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. Published 32 books, 39 book chapters, 127 research papers,etc. Editor of two seminar proceedings and delivered 23 radio talks. Totally there are 679 publications. Guided (15) MSc (Hort.) and (18) PhD (Hort.) students. Received Dr. G.S. Venkata Ram Memorial Award for the best research and oral paper presented at PLACROSYM XIV. Receipient of foreign Examiner, Dr. K.G. Shanmugavelu, Dr. S. Muthuswami medals, Golden Jubilee Symposium of Horticulture award for Best PhD research, Junior and Senior ICAR fellowship. Received TNAU Scientist Award (2010 & 2011) for research contribution by obtaining externally funded schemes (6 awards 2011 and 5 awards in 2012). Received Rastriya Gaurav Award, Bharat Jyoti Award and Best citizen of India from India International Friendship Society, New Delhi for the contribution to Horticultural Science. Also received MASU award (2012) for best technical bulletin in Tamil. Received Fellowship of CHAI (Confederation of Horticulture Associations of India) Award 2012 for meritorious service and outstanding performance in the field of Horticultural sciences. Served as a QRT member for oil palm and pomegranate. Chairman in Assessment Committee of ICAR for technical positions, Member in various committees in different universities, ICAR, Govt. of India. Recently Golden wings award for outstanding performance in Horticulture by Kalai Ilakkiya mandram of Theni and Best oral presentation award in Noni Search 2012. Awarded with in 2013 Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam life time achievement and best college award for academic excellence, in 2014 received best and highest number of horticulture book writer award in TNAU Coimbatore, India.

Horticulture

Mahendra P Srivastava born in 1942, obtained PhD in 1967 from University of Allahabad and subsequently joined Pb/Haryana Agricultural University, served as Rice/Cotton Pathologist, Extension Plant Pathologist, Professor, Head Plant Pathology, and Director Planning, Monitoring till 2002. He is considered an architect of Extension Plant Pathology and remembered for his contribution and innovative periodicals -- Plant Disease Warning & Plant Pathology Courier among others. He is known worldwide for his contribution in technology transfer and plant clinic. He has played a pivotal role in popularization of plant clinic by delivering invited lectures in India, China, New Zealand, Singapore, Italy, and Germany. He organized and chaired an ‘Evening Session on Plant Health Clinic’ in 9th International Congress of Plant Pathology at Turin, Italy in 2008, and delivered an invited keynote address on ’Plant clinics hold key to food security and organized Key note Session-5 in 10th ICPP at Beijing, 2013. He is recipient of several honors and awards, which include ‘Fellowship of The National Academy of Sciences’ in 1988, ‘Best Extension National Award’ 1996, Keynote speaker in 8th ICPP, New Zealand in 2003, and invited speaker on Knowledge transfer in 10th ICPP, 2013 at Beijing, Dr Radhakrishnan Award 2013, and International Technological Achievement Award on 9th February 2014. He has been President of Indian Society of Plant Pathologists, Chief Editor, Indian Journal of Plant Pathology, and Member Pesticide Panel of DST, GOI, and Technical Advisor of Pestology.

Technology Transfer, Plant Health Clinic, Integrated Pest Management and Fungicides

Awnindra Kumar Singh, presently posted as Senior Scientist (Plant Breeding) at Central Island Agricultural research Institute, Port Blair is working on the genetic improvement of food legumes. He did his PhD. from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He started his academic career from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and also served SKUAST-Jammu in the capacity of Assistant Professor-cum-Jr. Scientist. He is recipient of ISPRD Fellow and AABS Award for Best Research Paper. Dr. Singh is associated with more than 8 international and national scientific societies and more than 98 publications in his credit comprises of research papers, abstracts, technical bulletins and book chapters.

Crop Breeding, Genetics