Tariq Aftab received his PhD from the Department of Botany at Aligarh Muslim University, India, where he is currently a Senior Assistant Professor. He is the recipient of a prestigious Leibniz DAAD fellowship from Germany, a Raman Fellowship from the Government of India, and Young Scientist Awards from both the State Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Government of India. He has also served as a Visiting Scientist at IPK Gatersleben, Germany, and in the Department of Plant Biology at Michigan State University, United States. Dr. Aftab has edited numerous books for major international publishers, including Elsevier, Springer Nature, and CRC Press. He has co-authored several book chapters and published extensively in peer-reviewed, international journals. His research interests include physiological, proteomic, and molecular studies on medicinal and crop plants. Dr. Hakeem is a Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Head of the Plant Biotechnology Research Unit at the Princess Dr. Najlaa Bint Saud Al Saud Center for Distinguished Research in Biotechnology. His academic journey includes roles as Assistant Professor at the University of Kashmir and research appointments in Malaysia. He holds a Ph.D. in Botany from Jamia Hamdard, India, with expertise in plant eco-physiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, and medicinal plant research. He has authored numerous books, journal articles, and book chapters, and serves on editorial boards for leading publishers. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and affiliated with international scientific societies. His work focuses on advancing plant science through global collaborations and research on eco-physiological and molecular processes.

• 1. Plant-Soil Interactions in a Changing World: A Climate Change Perspective 2. Role of Carbon Cycle in Soil Productivity and Carbon Fluxes under Changing Climate 3. Molecular Advances in Plant Root System Architecture Response and Redesigning for Improved Performance under Unfavorable Environments 4. Nanotechnology-Based Biofortification: A Plant-Soil interaction Modulator/ Enhancer 5. Transcription Factors Involved in Plant Responses to Stress Adaptation 6. Nitrate Assimilation: Crosstalk between Plants and Soil 7. Next-Generation Genetic Engineering Tools for Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants 8. Omics Approaches for Improving Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Rice: Recent Advances and Future Prospects 9. Interactions of Phytohormones with Abiotic Stress Factors under Changing Climate 10. The Role of Soil Microbes in the Plant Adaptation to Stresses: Current Scenario and Future Perspective 11. CRISPR/Cas Mediated Genome Editing for Improved Stress Tolerance in Plants 12. Photosynthetic and Cellular Responses in Plants under Saline Conditions 13. Physiological and Molecular Strategies of Plant Adaptation in Phosphorous-Deficit Soils 14. Biotic Stresses on Plants: ROS Generation and Antioxidant Mechanism 15. Physiological Mechanisms and Adaptation Strategies of Plants under Heavy Metal Micronutrient Deficiency/Toxicity conditions 16. Halophytes as Effective Tool for Phyto-desalination and Land Reclamation 17. Role of Nickel in Regulation of Nitrogen Metabolism in Legume-Rhizobium Symbiosis under Critical Conditions 18. Beneficial Aspects of Cobalt Uptake in Plants Exposed to Abiotic Stresses 19. Iron in Soil-Plant-Human Continuum 20. The Molecular Mechanism of Brassinosteroids in Mediating Abiotic Stress Responses of Plants 21. Emerging Roles of Osmoprotectant Glycine Betaine against Salt-Induced Oxidative Stress in Plants: A Major Outlook of Maize (Zea mays L.) 22. Eco-Designing for Ecological Sustainability