Abiotic Stress-Mediated Sensing and Signaling in Plants: An Omics Perspective

Sajad Majeed Zargar, Ph.D, is currently an Assistant Professor at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir) in India. He was previously a Visiting Professor at the Nara Institite of Science & Technology, Japan. He has worked as an Assistant Professor at SKUAST-Jammu, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshan University, Rajouri (BGSB) in India. He has also worked as scientist at Advanta India Limited, Hyderabad, India and TERI (The Energy & Resources Institute), New Delhi, India. Dr. Zargar is receipt of CREST oversea’s fellowship from DBT and is also recipient of Goho grant from Govt. of Japan. He has received several awards for his work and research. He is also the member and representative of INPPO (International Plant Proteomics Organisation). His editorial activities and scientific memberships include publishing research and review articles in international journals and as a reviewer. He has been affiliated with several internationally reputed journals and is also reviewer of reputed journals Frontires in Plant Science, 3 Biotech, Scientia Horticulture, Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Australian Journal of Crop Science and many others. Dr. Zargar has been invited to give many lectures at professional meetings and workshops and has received grants for research projects under his supervision. Mohammad Yousuf Zargar, Ph.D, is currently Director Research at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir) in India. He was previously Dean, Faculty of Agriculture; Dean, Faculty of Forestry; Associate Director Research and Associate Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, SKUAST-Kashmir. Prior to that he has worked as Professor-cum-Chief Scientists (Microbiology) at SKUAST-Kashmir. Dr. Zargar has published more than 160 research papers in the scientific journals of national and international repute. He has guided 8 students for the doctoral programme and 6 for the master’s programme.He has received many honours and awards for his contribution to research work. His major contribution has been on fermentation technology for mass multiplication of biofertilizers and biocontrol agents. Dr. Zargar has received appreciations for his product “Shalimar Microbes”, a consortium of microbes that decompose waste in a short period. Dr. Zargar has been actively pursuing the research on cold tolerant microbes for soild / liquid  waste decomposition and nutrient mobilisation. He has also served as associate editor of several scientific journals. Presently, Dr. Zargar is guiding research programmes of the University in agriculture, animal husbandry and other allied sections.

• Chapter 1. “Omics”: A Gateway Towards Abiotic Stress Tolerance.- Chapter 2. Second Messengers: Central Regulators in Plant Abiotic Stress Response.- Chapter 3. Signaling Peptides: Hidden Molecular Messengers of Abiotic Stress Perception and Response in Plants.- Chapter 4. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) – A Way to Stress Survival in Plants.- Chapter 5. Role of Cuticular Wax in Adaptation to Abiotic Stress - A Molecular Perspective.- Chapter 6. Abiotic Stress Response in Plants: A Cis-Regulatory Perspective.- Chapter 7. Multifarious Role of ROS in Halophytes: Signaling and Defense.- Chapter 8. Enhancing Cold Tolerance in Horticultural Plants Using In Vitro Approaches.- Chapter 9. Omics Based Stratagies for Improving Salt Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.).- Chapter 10. Drought Stress Tolerance in Wheat: Omics Approaches in Understanding and Enhancing Antioxidant Defense.- Chapter 11. Signalling During Cold Stress And its Interplay with Transcriptional Regulation.- Chapter 12. Cross-Talk Between Phytohormone Signaling Pathways under Abiotic Stress Conditions and Their Metabolic Engineering for Conferring Abiotic Stress Tolerance.