Swarnendu Roy Editor

Dr. Swarnendu Roy currently works as Assistant Professor in the University of North Bengal, Siliguri, India. He has more than 10 years of teaching experience. He has been Recipient of University Gold Medal for securing 1st position at B.Sc. and University Silver medal for securing 2nd position at M.Sc. level. He received the Post-Graduate Merit Scholarship for University Rank Holder—awarded by Ministry of HRD and UGC (2006- 2008), Government of India. He also received CSIR Junior Research Fellowship—awarded by CSIR-UGC (2008) for Ph.D. degree. He has published more than 20 research articles in reputed journals and book chapters in edited volumes till date. He has submitted cDNA sequences of NHX and SOS1 genes of Cynodon dactylon for the first time to NCBI. Presently, he is actively engaged in research topics encompassing mechanism of salinity and drought stress in cereals and legumes, stress management by functionalized nanoparticles and bioinformatics study of stress-related transcription factors. He is presently supervising 4 research scholars including 3 UGC-JRFs. He has also guided 14 M.Sc. students in their dissertation work. He has also received International Travel Support (ITS) from DST, Government of India to present his research paper at the International Conference on Integrative Plant Physiology 2019 at Sitges, Spain (27–29 October, 2019). He is Life Member of prestigious societies like 'The Indian Science Congress Association' and Association of Food Scientists and Technologist (India). 

SCOPUS profile: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56127914000 

Dr. Piyush Mathur currently works as Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany, University of North Bengal, West Bengal, India. His research deals with climate change and biotic stress, microbial diversity and plant disease management. He has done his Ph.D. in Botany with specialization in Mycology and Plant Pathology. His Ph.D. research dealt with the effect of elevated carbon dioxide levels on plant pathogen interactions. He has published papers in well-known international journals of good repute. At the same time, he has contributed article in the form of book chapters in International and National books. He has actively participated in both National and International conferences held in India and abroad. He has been awarded the best poster and oral presentations in several conferences. Dr. Mathur received CSIR-Foreign Travel Grant for attending and participating in the 19th Australasian Plant Pathology Conference held at the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, from 25–29th November, 2013. He also received a Foreign Travel Grant by Research Council, University of Delhi for participating in 14th International Rapeseed Congress held at The Convention Centre, 35-22nd Street East, TCU Place Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada in 2015. Recently, Dr. Mathur delivered an oral presentation in 3rd Agriculture and Climate Change Conference held at Budapest, Hungary, in 2019 with the help of Foreign Travel Grant by International Travel Support Scheme, SERB, DST, GOI. Dr. Mathur is Active Member of Society of Rapeseed Mustard Research (SRMR), Bharatpur, and Delhi University Botanical Society (DUBS), Delhi, India. 

SCOPUS profile: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57085961800 

Dr. Arka Pratim Chakraborty currently works as Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany, Raiganj University, Raiganj. He has been Recipient of University Gold Medal for securing 1st position at M.Sc. level from the University of North Bengal. He has about 9 years of research experience in various research projects (funded by DBT, CSIR & NBAIM-ICAR) and has 26 peer-reviewed international and national publications, 3 articles as book chapters and one book for Botany B.Sc. undergraduate students till date. He has also delivered numerous oral and poster presentations in numerous International and National symposia/conferences. He is interested in the field of research related to plant–microbe interactions, host–pathogen interactions and plant disease management through plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, biotic and abiotic stresses. Dr. Chakraborty was awarded K.P.S. Bilgrami best poster paper award in 2007, P.P. Singhal Pesticides India Competition award in 2010, PR Verma award competition for Ph.D. students in the year 2015 and K.P.S. Bilgrami best poster paper presentation award in 2015. Dr. Chakraborty is actively associated with scientific societies as Life Member of Asian PGPR Society, Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), Indian Mycological Society (IMS) and Indian society of Mycology and Plant Pathology (ISMPP). 

SCOPUS profile: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=8898810100 

Dr. Shyama Prasad Saha has been working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology, University of North Bengal, India, for 10 years. He has obtained his M.Sc. degree from the University of North Bengal with gold medal for securing 1st class 1st position. He has received his Ph.D. from the Department of Biotechnology, University of North Bengal. He has extensive research experience of approximately 12 years in the field of classical microbiology, industrial microbiology, agricultural microbiology and microbial biotechnology with deep interest in the field of microbes derived carbohydrate active enzymes, value added product, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, bacteriophages, probiotics, etc. He has published several book chapters as well as articles in international journals. 

SCOPUS profile: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56116113200