Avinash Chandra Rai Editor

Dr. Avinash Chandra Rai is currently working as a visiting scientist at Agriculture Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. Dr. Rai has been completed his Ph.D. degree in Biotechnology from Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is currently serving as a visiting Scientist in Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization-The Volcani Centre, Israel. He has more than thirteen years of research experience, particularly in the area of plant molecular biology and plant physiology. His research interest is in deciphering the insights of plant abiotic stresses with the applications of molecular and physiological tools. He also has a keen interest in emerging environmental and physiological issues of crop plants. He is currently working to see the effect of auxin and ethylene in the process of abscission in mango and find out the role of essential gene involved in the pathways mechanism in abscission of fruit. Dr. Rai has more than seventeen research articles and book chapters in journals of national and international repute to his credit. He is a lifetime member of the Biotech Research Society of India (BRSI) and Society of vegetable Sciences, India. He is also the recipient of Young Scientist Associate award from Bioved Research Society, Allahabad, India in 2016. He has also actively participated in many national and international conferences, symposia and workshops related to his research field in India and abroad. Dr. Ajay Kumar is a visiting scientist at the Department of Postharvest Science, Agriculture Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel. He has published extensively in leading International and National journals or books. He has wide area of research experience, especially in the field of Plant-Microbe Interactions, Microbial biocontrol, and Endophytes related with the medicinal plants, Postharvest management of fruits. Dr. Kumar has published more than 165 research articles including review papers/book chapters/ books in the leading international journals. He is serving as special issue editors in some journals like “Frontiers in Microbiology, Microorganism” etc. In addition also acting as reviewer in some leading journals like Frontiers group, PLOS ONE, Agriculture, Ecosystem and Environment, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Biological Control, Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 3Biotech etc. Dr, Kumar has edited several books with leading publishers including Elsevier, Springer, and Taylor and Francis. Dr. Arpan Modi is currently working as a visiting scientist at Agriculture Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. Dr. Modi has completed his doctoral degree in Plant Biotechnology from Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat, India. Since 2009, with more than 11 years of vast research experience, he has developed skills for various operations and troubleshooting in plant tissue culture. His research interest focuses mainly on the use of an interdisciplinary approach for the betterment of the plant life cycle. He has been through the area of plant biochemistry, plant biotechnology, plant molecular biology and nanotechnology. Currently, he has involved in the development of the protocol for the micropropagation of Ficus microcarpa and genome editing in the same for quality improvement. Dr. Modi has 13 research articles and book chapters in journals of national and international repute to his credit. He is a lifetime member of the Society for Sugar Research and Promotion, Uttar Pradesh, India. He has also actively participated in many national and international conferences, symposia and workshops related to his research field in India and abroad. Dr. Major Singh, presently works as Director of ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research, Rajgurunagar, Pune, from 2017 to date and he served as Principal Scientist and Head, Division of Crop Improvement, Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, from the year 2010 to 2015; Scientist, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Shillong, 1986-96; Sr Scientist and Principal Scientist, IIVR, Varanasi, 1996-2010. Project Coordinator and also act as Coordinator of All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops, IIVR, and Varanasi 2011-16. Dr. Singh has published more than 200 Research articles in the various national and International Journal. Moreover he had been awarded by various scientific societies in his 35 years of research experience like Outstanding Multidisciplinary Team Research Award of ICAR for Biennium 2003-04; Rajeev Gandhi National Award, 2009-10; Dr. Harbhajan Singh Award, 2004, ISVS, Varanasi; Dr. Harbhajan Singh Award, 2005, ISVS, Varanasi.