Biocontrol Agents for Improved Agriculture

Dr. Ajay Kumar is currently working as an assistant professor at Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India. Dr. Kumar recently completed his tenure as a visiting scientist from Agriculture Research Organization, Volcani Center, Israel. He has published more than 175 research, review articles, and book chapters in international and national journals. He serves as an associate editor for Frontiers in Microbiology and as guest editor for various journals such as Plants, Microorganisms, and Sustainability. Dr. Kumar has also edited more than 32 books with the leading publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley. Dr. Kumar’s research experience is in the field of plant–microbe interactions, postharvest management, cyanobacterial biology, and so on. Muhammad Bilal is working as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland. Previously, he served as an assistant/associate Professor at Poznan University of Technology, Poland, and the School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, China. He earned his Ph.D. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, specializing in bioengineering and applied biotechnology. His main research activities are oriented to Environmental biotechnology, nanotechnology, enzyme engineering, immobilization, chemical modifications, and industrial applications of microbial enzymes, liquid, and solid waste management. He has authored over 700 peer-reviewed articles, 150 book chapters, 25 edited books. Dr. Bilal is the associate editor of Frontiers in Chemical Engineering and Frontiers in Environmental Science (Frontiers), and an editorial board member for several journals. He was listed as a highly cited researcher (Clarivate) in 2021 and holds several "highly cited papers" in WOS. Dr. Gustavo Santoyo obtained his Doctor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 2005 and did postdoctoral studies during 2005-2007 at the Center for Cancer Research, NIH, USA, as well as a sabbatical year (2014-2015) at the Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. He is currently a full-time research professor at the Institute of Chemical and Biological Research of the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, in Morelia, Mexico. His research interest is led towards plant-microbe interactions, biocontrol of fungal pathogens, development of bioinoculants for agricultural crops, and basic research on microbial diversity of extreme environments. In these research areas has published 80 scientific publications with more than 4000 citations and a h-factor 29. In the Academy, He has supervised more than 30 doctoral, master and undergrad thesis. Dr. Santoyo is a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences and the National Research System (SNI) of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) in Mexico. Prof. Joginder Singh is a Professor at the Department of Botany, Nagaland University, Lumami, Nagaland, India. Previously, he worked as a Professor in the School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University and also as a Young Scientist at Microbial Biotechnology and Biofertilizer Laboratory, Department of Botany, Jai Narain Vyas University on a research project funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. He is an active member of various scientific societies and organizations, including the Association of Microbiologists of India, the Indian Society of Salinity Research Scientists, the Indian Society for Radiation Biology, and the European Federation of Biotechnology. He has published extensively with Elsevier and Springer both in journals and books. He serves as a reviewer for many prestigious journals, including Current Research in Engineering, Science and Technology; Journal of Cleaner Production; Science of the Total Environment; Environmental Monitoring and Assessment; Pedosphere; Soil and Sediment Contamination; Symbiosis; International Journal of Phytoremediation; Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; Annals of Agricultural Sciences; and Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.

1. The expediency of fungi as biocontrol agents for the enhancement of food security 2. Plant growth promoting microorganisms from native plants: an untapped resource of biocontrol and biofertilizer agents 3. Biological control of Plasmopara viticola: where are we now? 4. Biological control of diseases in Theobroma cacao 5. Synergistic mechanisms between plant growth-promoting bacteria and Trichoderma to control plant diseases 6. Genomic mining for the identification of promising mechanisms of bioactivity in biological control agents 7. Production and commercialization of biocontrol products 8. Understanding Trichoderma: between biotechnology and microbial ecology 9. Formulation of microbial biocontrol agents–an industrial perspective 10. Endophytic microbiota in plant disease management 11. Endophytic microorganism as a source of bioactive compounds 12. Plant growth promoting bacteria in food security and plant disease management 13. Bacterial strains used in post-harvest management of fruits 14. Bacterial volatiles application in plant disease management 15. CRISPER/ CAS techniques used in plant disease management 16. The impact of climate change on plant diseases and food security 17. Insects–plants-pathogens: Toxicity, dependence and defense dynamics 18. MicroRNAs in plant insect interaction and insect pest control 19. Ladybirds as an biocontrol agent 20. Endophytes:The Treasure House of Bioactive Compounds with Potential Applications in Sustainable Agriculture and other Sectors