PLANT SECONDARY METABOLITES AND ABIOTIC STRESS (HB 2024)

We have been dependent on plants for food, furniture, construction, and fuel since prehistoric times. Plants in all forms have tendered their services to mankind. Humans have selected plants based on their value and potential for domestication. People living on different continents of the world use plants to treat various diseases and various systems of medicines were generated, including the Ayuvedic, Unani, Chinese systems of medicines. Due to the advancement of science and technology, various non-conventional methods to treat diseases were also identified. Each system of medicine has advantages and disadvantages. Systems that utilized plant based natural products for the discovery of drugs have attracted attention across globe due to their minimal or lack of side effects.

Ganesh C. Nikalje, PhD, an assistant professor of botany at Seva Sadan's R. K. Talreja College of Arts, Science, and Commerce, University of Mumbai. During his doctoral work, he unraveled the salt tolerance mechanism of the facultative halophyte, Sesuvium portulacastrum, at both the molecular and metabolomic levels. In addition, he revealed additive and combined salt tolerance mechanisms in contrasting soybean genotypes. He has two independent research projects funded by the University of Mumbai and to date has 19 research papers, four books, 18 book chapters, and a research paper in a journal to his credit.

Mohd. Shahnawaz, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Botany, University of Ladakh, Kargil Campus, India. He has several years of teaching and postdoctoral research experience, working in diverse fields of life sciences including tissue culture of medicinal plants, genetic diversity assessment of medicinal plants using high-resolution molecular marks, enhancement of plants' secondary metabolites contents, and biodegradation of plastic. He has published more than 20 research articles, nine book chapters, and 12 books of international repute.

Jyoti Parihar, PhD, is an associate professor and Head of the Department of Pedagogy in Biosciences, Government Post Graduate College of Education, Jammu, India. She has more than 24 years of teaching experience at the undergraduate level and has presented her work at various national and international conferences. She has published more than ten research papers in journals of repute and has three book chapters and two edited books to her credit. Her main areas of expertise include plant reproductive biology and the medicinal plant, Artemisia maritime L.

Hilal Ahmad Qazi, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Botany, Government Degree College Pampore, Pulwama Jammu and Kashmir, India. He has more than 5 years of teaching experience at the undergraduate level and three years of postdoctoral teaching. He has worked on the effect of cold stress on proteome and metabolome of Digitalis purpurea in an independent project funded by the Indian Department of Science and Technology. He has presented his work at various national and international conferences and has published more than 20 research articles in peer-reviewed journals of repute, as well as several book chapters in books of international repute.

Vishal N. Patil, PhD, is an assistant professor of botany at Vidyabharti College Rashtrasanth Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, India, as well as a post-graduate teacher and recognized PhD supervisor at the School of Science & Technology at Nagpur University. To date, he has published 25 research papers in various international journals, as well as five books and three book chapters by national and international publishers. He has been invited as a resource for different conferences and symposia, guest lecturer at different institutes, and has organized various national conferences.

Daochen Zhu, PhD, is a professor at the Biofuel Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China. He is an editor and editorial board member of various peer-reviewed journals of international repute. His research group focuses on microorganism resource and diversity, enzyme-mediated valorization of lignin into commodity products, and biodegradation of organic pollutants. He is also interested in the plant secondary metabolites and mitigation of microplastic using bioremediation technology. He has over 50 peer-reviewed publications, 12 patents, four book chapters, and three edited books to his credit.