Position & Department: Chairman/Professor, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture
Research Intersts: Weeds pose serious challenge to sustainability of agricultural systems worldwide and inflict yield losses of 20-30% in different crops. Thus, securing quantity and quality of produce against weeds damage is of utmost significance for food security. A successful weed management program relies on a sound knowledge of weed ecology, cultural measures besides herbicides and their interaction. My current research priorities are weed dynamics in different crop rotations and tillage systems, manipulation of allelopathic crop residues for the management of noxious weeds, microbial transformation during residue decomposition, and development of integrated weed management systems for different field crops with major emphasis in direct seeded rice. I am interested in studying the impact of various biotic and abiotic stresses in crops of economic significance in the context of changing climatic optima, and looking for strategies that might alleviate such impacts on agricultural productivity.
Position & Department: Professor, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture
Research Intersts: I am working on physiological aspects of seed development and enhancement. I have established a very dedicated working group on seed and stress physiology. We have developed a functional seed testing and physiology lab. We have established seed priming protocols for all major and many other crops. We are also working on induction of abiotic stress tolerance by seed priming and foliar application of synthetic and natural growth enhancer especially in wheat, rice and maize against salinity and drought. I have explored many plant extracts and Moringa oliefera discovered as ideal plant to use its extract as priming and foliar agent as growth enhancer. I am also working on introduction of new crops to increase the biodiversity to meet the challenges of food security and climate change. I have successfully introduced Chenopodium quinoa, a climate proof grain crop, linola, improved linseed and Camolina sativa, a potential drought tolerant oilseed.
Position & Department: Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture
Research Intersts:
Research Intersts: Crop Modeling climate variability impacts on crops and its adaptation
Position & Department: Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture
Research Intersts: Agriculture and environmental pollution, Stress agronomy, Allelopathy, Bioremediation.
Research Intersts: The ways that plants coordinate and integrate numerous physical, chemical and biological processes to produce new biomass and maintain existing biomass, fascinates me. I want to combine the knowledge of Agronomy and meteorology to maximize crop yields. Finally I wish to understand how variation in atmospheric temperature, carbon dioxide and precipitation affect plant growth and maintenance metabolism. To pursue these interests my research focuses on mechanistic modeling of crop growth, development and yield. The models are framed within the context of biological and ecological hierarchies and explain the linkages between environmental constraints and plant functioning. A second approach I used to address my interests involves synthesis results of experimental studies on crop environment interactions. This includes collaboration with interdisciplinary research teams addressing high priority agricultural issues about effects of climate change on crop productivity. I want to build novel bridges between experimental research, in both field and laboratory, and process modeling for improving understanding of environmental and genetic constraints in agro-ecosystem. As a member of faculty, I look forward to exciting interaction with undergraduate and post graduate students.
Research Intersts: Agronomy, Advanced Production Technology of Sugar Crops, Management of crop nutrition, Seed science and technology, Crop Management on problem soils. Bio-fertilizers, Integrated use of organic and inorganic sources of plant nutrition.
Position & Department: Lecturer, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture
Research Intersts: 1-Identification of physiological and molecular basis for improved tolerance to abiotic stresses (drought) in basmati rice. 2-Genotypic variation for Zn uptake efficiency in basmati rice and biofortification strategies. 3-Development of seed invigoration techniques to improve plant performance under abiotic stresses. 4-Identification of yield limiting factors in cereals and their improvement through physiological enhancements.
Research Intersts: Aim is to combine the knowledge of Agronomy and Microbiology and to fulfill the following interests; weed control by biocontrol methods, composting and biofertilizer, water and wastewater treatment, application of microbiology in Agriculture, human health and industry, biodegradation and bioremediation, microbial ecology, microbial taxonomy, use of biologically active compounds produced by microbes.
Research Intersts: 1-Allelopathic effect of weeds and crops on crop plants. 2-To study weed seed bank. 3-Use of agro-chemicals and their effect on plant and soil. 4-Weed management in crops. 5-Studies into biology and ecology of weed. 5-Integrated weed control.
Research Intersts: Sustainable Agriculture / Integrated nutrient management: Our ecology is more important because without ecology there will be no economy. Therefore taking under consideration, the above mentioned phrase, I am working on the integrated management of nutrients especially Nitrogen management for maize.
Research Intersts: Agronomy, Crop Science, Crop Physiology, crop management under stressful environments, Management of crop nutrition, Seed science and technology, Crop management on problem soils. Biofertilizers, oilseed crops, Super hybrid rice cultivation regulations.
Research Intersts: My research focus in on conservation agronomy and cropping system research with special emphasis on field crops and the management practices for plants and soils to address agricultural and environmental challenges. In addition, agronomy of fodder crops and to develop economically viable, highly productive and sustainable non-legume and legume forages sustainable for general adoption by the grower particularly the small growers of the country is also being emphasized.
Research Intersts: Research focuses on the best management practices for enhancing efficiency of NPK, fertilizer placement and weeds identification/management; integrated nutrients management and their impact on crops under water deficit conditions; physiological processes that determine the crop growth, development and yield.
Research Intersts: Abiotic and biotic stresses are the key yield limiting factors in the prevailing global agricultural scenario. Assurance of crop yield under such stressful conditions is among my interests using multifaceted approach comprising of seed treatments like seed priming and osmo-priming, exogenous applications of metal chelates, non-enzymatic antioxidants, salts and compatible solutes etc. Moreover, introduction of new climate proof /resilient crops and germplasm in local conditions of Pakistan is viable option for aforementioned challenge and one major interest of mine. I have field and lab. based expertise on ‘Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)’ a chenopod pseudocereal famous for high biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and a health food. In addition, mitigation strategies for multiple stress exposure are also under my research priorities.
Research Intersts: My current research is focused on tolerance induction by the use of exogenous application of plant growth regulators on oilseed rape species under various abiotic stresses. More precisely I have concentrated on morphological, physiological, biochemical and water related changes induced by salt, drought, heavy metals and herbicide stress to study the adaptation of plants towards unfavorable conditions in field as well as green house conditions. The ultimate objective of this research is to screen the plants on the basis of morphological/physiological and biochemical traits which can combat different types of stress conditions causing yield loss.
Research Intersts: Main focus is to improve the qualitative and quantitative traits of forages especially maize and sorghum through mixed/ intercropping of leguminous forages like clusterbean, cowpea, ricebean and susbania in different planting pattern.
Research Intersts: My research interests are i) Basic and strategic research on seed quality, maintenance and enhancement, ii) Seed testing of various crops according to ISTA standards and iii) Induction of salt/chilling tolerance in cereals through different strategies.
Position & Department: Associate Professor/Manager Research Operations, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture
Research Intersts: Crop Nutrition Management of crops ,Role of macro and micro-nutrients in the improving the quality and yield of major and minor crops, Agronomy of cropping systems for enhancing yield of crops.
Research Intersts: 1-Understanding physiological basis of yield in crop plants. 2-Understanding physiological basis of stress (drought, salinity and heat) tolerance in plants. 3-Identification of physiological and biochemical indicators of stress tolerance in crop plants. 4-Technologies development for productivity enhancement in field crops facing drought, salinity and heat stresses.
Research Intersts: Rice is the major crop of the world especially in the Asia. In Pakistan it comes second after the wheat It is therefore imperative to develop advanced production technology to enhance the productivity of rice in this region .I am the member of the research group in department of Agronomy working on production Agronomy of major crops and cropping systems .My focus of research is the sowing techniques ad methodology of sowing rice. My area of interest is to evaluate and promote direct seeding culture in rice because it avoids lot of penalties entailed on raising, transporting and transplanting of rice nursery in transplanted rice.
Research Intersts: Crop Nutrition Management and Stress Agronomy.Crop Growth Manipulation.
Position & Department: Assistant Professor/Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture
Research Intersts: Weed Science, Herbicide Resistance
Research Intersts: Crop Nutrition and Stress Agronomy
Research Intersts: Climate change, Extreme temperatures, Crop growth modeling, Remote sensing, Crop growth monitoring, Sun induced fluorescence (SIF)