Chikezie Onuora Ene | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

Dr Chikezie Onuora  Ene |  Plant Breeding |  Best Researcher Award

Lecturer II at  Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

 

Dr. Chikezie Onuora Ene is a distinguished academic and researcher in the Department of Crop Science at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI). He earned his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding from Jimma University, Ethiopia, in 2023, where he conducted genetic analysis and quantitative trait loci mapping for tomato traits, graduating with a GPA of 3.86/4.00. He also holds an M.Sc. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, achieving a CGPA of 4.91/5.00, and a B.Sc. in Crop Production and Protection from Abia State University, Uturu, with first-class honors.

Profile:

Qualifications and Education:

  1. Ph.D. in Plant Breeding from Jimma University, Ethiopia, with a thesis on genetic analysis and QTL mapping for tomato traits. Graduated with a high GPA of 3.86/4.00.
  2. M.Sc. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with a focus on variability and heritability in cucumber, and an outstanding CGPA of 4.91/5.00.
  3. B.Sc. in Crop Production and Protection from Abia State University, Uturu, with first-class honors and a CGPA of 4.62/5.00.

Research Interests:

Dr. Ene’s research focuses on improving fruit/grain yield and quality of vegetables and cereals under abiotic stresses using plant molecular breeding techniques. This is a highly relevant and impactful area of research, addressing critical issues in agriculture.

Work Experience:

  1. Lecturer in Crop Science Department at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike since 2017, teaching various crop science courses and contributing significantly to the academic community.
  2. Research/Laboratory Assistant at National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), involved in yam breeding, plant protection, and tissue culture.
  3. Field Enumerator/Farm Attendant at the Ministry of Agriculture, Abia State, focusing on cassava farming and processing data collection.
  4. Agricultural Science Teacher during the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Kono Secondary School.

Training and Workshops:

  1. Training on GLMM at Jimma University.
  2. Hands-on training on marker-assisted breeding at BecA-ILRI hub, Nairobi, Kenya.
  3. Training on econometrics for policy analysis using Stata.
  4. Workshop on publishing and grant proposal writing.

Research Contributions and Impact:

Dr. Ene has been involved in significant research contributions across multiple projects and publications, particularly in:

  1. Fruit/Grain Yield Improvement under abiotic stresses.
  2. Plant Molecular Breeding and marker-assisted selection.
  3. Collaboration with international research bodies and institutions

Conclusion:

Given Dr. Ene’s extensive education, research focus, teaching experience, and contributions to the field of crop science, he is well-qualified for the Best Researcher Award. His work addresses crucial agricultural challenges, and his academic and professional achievements highlight his dedication and impact in the field.

Publication Top Notes:

  • Studies of phenotypic and genotypic variation in sixteen cucumber genotypes
    CO Ene, PE Ogbonna, CU Agbo, UP Chukwudi
    Chilean Journal of Agricultural Research, 76(3), 307-313, 2016. (82 citations)
  • Heterosis and combining ability in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)
    CO Ene, PE Ogbonna, CU Agbo, UP Chukwudi
    Information Processing in Agriculture, 6(1), 150-157, 2019. (38 citations)
  • Evaluation of Sixteen Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Genotypes in Derived Savannah Environment Using Path Coefficient Analysis
    CO Ene, PE Ogbonna, CU Agbo, UP Chukwudi
    Notulae Scientia Biologicae, 8(1), 85-92, 2016. (35 citations)
  • Correlation and path coefficient analyses of yield and yield components of eggplant (Solanum melongena) in a coarse-textured Ultisol
    VN Onyia, UP Chukwudi, AC Ezea, AI Atugwu, CO Ene
    Information Processing in Agriculture, 7(1), 173-181, 2020. (18 citations)
  • Environmental impact and genetic expressions of new drought-tolerant maize genotypes in derived savannah agro-ecology
    UNI Paul Inyang, Chikezie Onuora Ene, Ankrumah Emmanuel, Uchechukwu P. Chukwudi
    Notulae Scientia Biologicae, 13(1), 10691, 2021. (15 citations)
  • Genetic characterization and quantitative trait relationship using multivariate techniques reveal diversity among tomato germplasms
    CO Ene, WG Abtew, HO Oselebe, FU Ozi, UN Ikeogu
    Food Science & Nutrition, 10(7), 2426-2442, 2022. (7 citations)
  • Benefit Cost Analysis of Orange Flesh Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) Varieties under Varying Planting Density
    DA Uzoigwe, CO Muoneke, CC Nwokoro, CO Ene
    Notulae Scientia Biologicae, 11(1), 145-148, 2019. (6 citations)
  • Hybrid Vigor and Heritability Estimates in Tomato Crosses Involving Solanum lycopersicum × S. pimpinellifolium under Cool Tropical Monsoon Climate
    CO Ene, WG Abtew, HO Oselebe, FU Ozi, O Ogah, EC Okechukwu, …
    International Journal of Agronomy, 2023(1), 3003355, 2023. (5 citations)
  • Analysis of Leaf Yield Components in Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.) Grown in Derived Savannah Agro-ecology
    UP Chukwudi, CU Agbo, CO Ene, CU Uba, JI Enyi
    Notulae Scientia Biologicae, 9(3), 386-391, 2017. (4 citations)
  • Growth and yield response of selected improved soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) varieties to varying weeding regimes under a tropical condition
    CO Ene, A Anyim, UP Chukwudi, EC Okechukwu, UN Ikeogu
    Journal of Central European Agriculture, 20(1), 157-178, 2019. (3 citations)
  • Evaluation of Tomato Genotypes Growth, Yield, and Shelf Life Enhancement in Nigeria
    VN Onyia, UP Chukwudi, VC Ogwudu, AI Atugwu, SC Eze, CO Ene, …
    Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 21(1), 143-152, 2019. (3 citations)
  • Selfing revealed potential for higher yield performance than backcrossing among tomato segregating populations of Solanum lycopersicum × S. pimpinellifolium crosses under …
    CO Ene, WG Abtew, HO Oselebe, UP Chukwudi, EC Okechukwu, FU Ozi, …
    *Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 15, 100993, 2024. (1 citation)
  • Influence of varying preservation methods on the shelf life and proximate composition of Pleurotus plumonarius (Fr) Quel cultivated on Andropogon gayanus substrate
    CM Ahaiwe, O Nnamdi, CO Ene, UP Chukwudi
    International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences, 3(3), 2019. (1 citation)

 

Alireza Sharifi | Crop yield prediction | Best Researcher Award

Assoc Prof Dr Alireza Sharifi |  Crop yield prediction |  Best Researcher Award

Dr at  Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training, Iran

Dr. Alireza Sharifi is an Associate Professor at Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, specializing in geosciences and remote sensing applications for Precision Agriculture. He obtained his graduate degree from the University of Tehran and has focused his research on Earth Observation Programs, particularly using satellite imagery. Dr. Sharifi has led multiple research projects funded by prestigious organizations such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China, contributing significantly to the fields of hyperspectral image classification, crop mapping, and vegetation monitoring. With numerous publications and a strong academic background, he continues to advance innovative approaches in agricultural sustainability through technology.

Profile:

📚 Academic Background:

Dr. Alireza Sharifi graduated from the University of Tehran with expertise in geosciences and remote sensing applications, focusing on Earth Observation Programs for Precision Agriculture using satellite imagery.

🔍 Research Focus:

His research spans various projects, including hyperspectral image classification, spatio-temporal analysis of forest fires, and integration of satellite images for crop mapping. He has published extensively in reputed journals and holds multiple editorial appointments.

📊 Citations:

  • Citations: 1970 (1878 since 2019)
  • h-index: 28 (since 2019)
  • i10-index: 40 (since 2019)
📄 Publication:

1. Comparison the accuracies of different spectral indices for estimation of vegetation cover fraction in sparse vegetated areas
S Barati, B Rayegani, M Saati, A Sharifi, M Nasri
The Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Science 14 (1), 49-56, 2011
Citations: 221

2. Hyperspectral image classification using a hybrid 3D-2D convolutional neural networks
S Ghaderizadeh, D Abbasi-Moghadam, A Sharifi, N Zhao, A Tariq
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 2021
Citations: 132

3. Yield prediction with machine learning algorithms and satellite images
A Sharifi
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 101 (3), 891-896, 2021
Citations: 105

4. Spatio-temporal analysis of forest fire events in the Margalla Hills, Islamabad, Pakistan using socio-economic and environmental variable data with machine learning methods
A Tariq, H Shu, S Siddiqui, I Munir, A Sharifi, Q Li, L Lu
Journal of Forestry Research 33 (1), 183-194, 2022
Citations: 76

5. Crop type classification by DESIS hyperspectral imagery and machine learning algorithms
N Farmonov, K Amankulova, J Szatmári, A Sharifi, D Abbasi-Moghadam, …
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 2023
Citations: 62

6. Assessing spatio-temporal mapping and monitoring of climatic variability using SPEI and RF machine learning models
SS Wahla, JH Kazmi, A Sharifi, SA Shirazi, A Tariq, H Joyell Smith
Geocarto International 37 (27), 14963-14982, 2022
Citations: 62

7. Multiscale dual-branch residual spectral–spatial network with attention for hyperspectral image classification
S Ghaderizadeh, D Abbasi-Moghadam, A Sharifi, A Tariq, S Qin
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 2022
Citations: 60

8. Evaluation of vegetation indices and phenological metrics using time-series MODIS data for monitoring vegetation change in Punjab, Pakistan
P Hu, A Sharifi, MN Tahir, A Tariq, L Zhang, F Mumtaz, SHIA Shah
Water 13 (18), 2550, 2021
Citations: 59

9. Flash flood susceptibility assessment and zonation by integrating analytic hierarchy process and frequency ratio model with diverse spatial data
A Tariq, J Yan, B Ghaffar, S Qin, BG Mousa, A Sharifi, ME Huq, M Aslam
Water 14 (19), 3069, 2022
Citations: 57

10. Remote sensing satellite’s attitude control system: rapid performance sizing for passive scan imaging mode
A Kosari, A Sharifi, A Ahmadi, M Khoshsima
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology 92 (7), 1073-1083, 2020
Citations: 57

11. Flood mapping using relevance vector machine and SAR data: A case study from Aqqala, Iran
A Sharifi
Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing 48 (9), 1289-1296, 2020
Citations: 55

12. Modeling and predicting land use land cover spatiotemporal changes: A case study in Chalus Watershed, Iran
S Jalayer, A Sharifi, D Abbasi-Moghadam, A Tariq, S Qin
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 2022
Citations: 54

13. Integration of Sentinel 1 and Sentinel 2 satellite images for crop mapping
S Felegari, A Sharifi, K Moravej, M Amin, A Golchin, A Muzirafuti, A Tariq, …
Applied Sciences 11 (21), 10104, 2021
Citations: 54

14. Development of a method for flood detection based on Sentinel‐1 images and classifier algorithms
A Sharifi
Water and Environment Journal 35 (3), 924-929, 2021
Citations: 54

15. Estimation of forest biomass using multivariate relevance vector regression
A Sharifi, J Amini, R Tateishi
Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing 82 (1), 41-49, 2016
Citations: 54

16. Agro climatic zoning of saffron culture in Miyaneh city by using WLC method and remote sensing data
A Zamani, A Sharifi, S Felegari, A Tariq, N Zhao
Agriculture 12 (1), 118, 2022
Citations: 50

17. Forest biomass estimation using synthetic aperture radar polarimetric features
A Sharifi, J Amini
Journal of Applied Remote Sensing 9 (1), 097695-097695, 2015
Citations: 49

18. Remotely sensed vegetation indices for crop nutrition mapping
A Sharifi
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 100 (14), 5191-5196, 2020
Citations: 47

19. Using Sentinel-2 data to predict nitrogen uptake in maize crop
A Sharifi
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 2020
Citations: 47

20. Speckle reduction of PolSAR images in forest regions using fast ICA algorithm
A Sharifi, J Amini, JT Sri Sumantyo, R Tateishi
Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing 43, 339-346, 2015
Citations: 47

 

Khalid Hussain | Crop Production | Best Researcher Award

Assoc Prof Dr  Khalid Hussain | Crop Production |  Best Researcher Award

Associate Professor at  University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan

Dr. Khalid Hussain is an accomplished agronomist and academician currently serving as an Associate Professor at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. With a robust academic background, he completed his PhD in Agronomy from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, focusing on resource use competition in agricultural systems. Dr. Hussain’s research spans various facets of agronomy, including crop-soil interactions, climate change impacts on cropping systems, and sustainable agricultural practices. He has authored numerous publications in reputed journals and actively contributes to international research collaborations. His expertise also extends to project management and capacity building in agriculture, supported by prestigious grants and awards, including recognition as Best Researcher by the HEC-Pakistan. Dr. Hussain is a member of several professional societies and continues to advance agricultural science through his teaching, research, and outreach initiatives.

Profile:

🎓 Education:

Ph.D. in Agronomy, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany (2015). M.Sc. (Hons.) Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan (2007). B.Sc. (Hons.) Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan (2005)

📊 Skills:

Strong analytical and technical skills in research planning, data analysis, and project management. Proficient in MS Office, data modeling, and machine learning applications.

Publication Top Notes:

  • Constructed wetlands as a sustainable technology for wastewater treatment with emphasis on chromium-rich tannery wastewater
  • Sustainable Soil Loss Management in Tropical Uplands: Impact on Maize-Chili Cropping Systems
  • The potential of microbes and sulfate in reducing arsenic phytoaccumulation by maize (Zea mays L.) plants
  • Productivity and Resource Use in a Maize-Grain Legume Intercropping System in Punjab, Pakistan
    • Journal: International Journal of Agriculture and Biology
    • Date: January 21, 2021
  • Sustainable land use options for optimum resources use in maize based cropping system on uplands of Western Thailand