5th Global Congress on Plant Science, Biology & Biotechnology

Dr. N. Arunkumar is an Assistant Professor and Research Coordinator at the Kumaraguru Institute of Agriculture, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India. He holds both B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Agricultural Microbiology from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, and completed his postdoctoral research at the ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur. His research interests include the exploration of unique microbes for industrial applications, biological control of pests and diseases, and the utilization of algae in agriculture. Dr. Arunkumar has authored four books, twelve book chapters, and approximately fifteen scientific articles published in national and international journals. He has secured three externally funded research projects and holds three patents related to microbial and algal technologies.

Dr. Prashant Singh received his PhD from the University of Essex, UK, and currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, India. His research is at the forefront of plant-microbe interactions, with a strong focus on the role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Trichoderma-derived metabolites in seed priming strategies aimed at enhancing crop resilience under biotic and abiotic stresses. Dr. Singh is a recognized expert in induced growth and immune priming (IGIP), and his work employs integrative multi-omics approaches—particularly metabolomics and transcriptomics—to decode the molecular mechanisms underlying stress tolerance and intergenerational priming. His goal is to develop novel, sustainable solutions for improving crop productivity in the face of climate change. Trained in leading research institutions in the UK, USA, and Taiwan, Dr. Singh has been the recipient of several prestigious fellowships and competitive grants, including the UK Overseas Research Scholarship (ORS), USDA-NIFA, US-NSF, BBSRC-UK, and the NSC Postdoctoral Fellowship (Taiwan). He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals such as The Plant Cell, New Phytologist, Plant Physiology, and Plant Journal, and has published a widely used book titled Modern Principles of Biotechnology. He has also edited volumes for Springer Nature and contributed key book chapters on sustainable crop improvement. One of his research papers was ranked among the top five most cited articles by The Plant Cell and was highlighted in the Nature Index for its scientific significance. He also holds a US patent for his innovative work on plant immune priming. Dr. Singh is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS) and a Member of the Royal Society of Biology (MRSB), in recognition of his impactful and globally relevant contributions to plant science. Deeply committed to translational research, he continues to bridge fundamental science with field-level applications to support climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture.

Dr. M. Arumugam Pillai is a Professor and Head at the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, and has extensive expertise in molecular breeding, quality trait improvement, and mutation breeding. His work focuses on improving oilseed and cereal crops through genomics-enabled approaches.

Former Chief Scientist (DADD and Fulbright Fellow) retired from CSIR North East Institute of Science & Technology . Assam, and then appointed as Adviser Research at Assam downtown University and as Director ,Research at GEMS College of Arts & Science (Autonomous), Kerala INDIA . .Ph.D (Biochemistry) Allahabad University, and PDF( Molecular Biology) Texas A&M University, USA. Specialized in Molecular Biology too. Published 135 papers 200 abstracts, 48 papers in proceedings, 7 patents,1 technology.18 chapters in books, edited 7 books, and guided 30 students for PhD. Visited USA, Germany, Israel, Jordan, France, Morocco ,UK, Thailand, Malaysia, Greece, Jordan, Singapore, China & UAE.