Sugarcane Transformation: Biofuels, Biotechnology, and Beyond

Author Biography

Krishan K. Verma, PhD, is working as a Foreign Expert at the Sugarcane Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Sugarcane Research Center, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Nanning, Guangxi, China. He has 14 years of research experience in the field of biotic and abiotic stresses, such as environmental toxicology, plant physiology, bioengineering, and nanobioscience. His research focuses on environmental toxicology, bioengineering modeling, plant physiology, and molecular biology, and their impacts on growth and physiological and molecular adaptation strategies of plants to stressful environments and how they affect plant structure. He is working with Prof. Yang-Rui Li, a world-renowned plant scientist. He has published more than 120 scientific research articles/reviews, 15 books, and 15 book chapters. He is an internationally recognized reviewer. He received an Award of Excellence-2021 for his contribution to agricultural science from the Sugarcane Society of Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Science, Nanning, Guangxi, China. He has also been elected as a Fellow of the Society for Sugarcane Research & Promotion (FSSRP-2024) for his outstanding contribution to sugarcane crop production. In the year 2023, he was included in the list of 2% of the world’s top scientists by Elsevier BV. He is also Regional Editor of the journal Fluoride ,published by the International Society for Fluoride Research Inc., New Zealand. He has been serving as an editorial board member of various peer reviewed journals. Xiu-Peng Song, PhD, is working as Associate Professor at the Sugarcane Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Genetic Improvement/Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (Guangxi) of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanning, Guangxi, China. His ongoing research focuses on plant physiology and biochemistry of stress resistance, occurrence mechanisms, and comprehensive control of diseases and insect pests in sugarcane. He has presided over four funded projects, such as by the National Natural Science Foundation, China, and participated in 16 projects that involved national and international cooperation. He has won six awards, including a Guangxi Science and Technology Progress Award. He has published over 65 scientific publications, three book chapters, and three books (one from Springer and two from Apple Academic Press). He received his master’s and PhD degrees (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) from Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. Hai-Rong Huang, PhD, is working as Assistant Researcher Scientist at the Sugarcane Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, China. His ongoing research focuses on breeding and molecular biology of sugarcane crop. He has two years of overseas study and visit experience, including serving as a technical consultant in Cambodia in 2011 and participating as a visiting scholar in USA in 2015. He has bred 30 varieties, such as the most popular of GT42/GT44 in China, presided over four projects, such as those of the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi, and participated in 12 national and international cooperation projects, winning eight awards, such as the Guangxi Science and Technology Progress Award. He has published over 40 scientific publications and has been granted five invention patents. Aradhna Kumari, PhD, is presently working as Assistant Professor (senior scale) of Plant Physiology at the College of Agriculture , Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalay, Ganj Basoda, Madhya Pradesh, India. She has presented research papers at various national and international conferences. She has published three books, two technical bulletins, various research papers in national and international journals, review articles, manuals, quality instructional materials for students, book chapters, and various popular articles in reputed agriculture magazines. She has 12 years of experience in teaching and is a life member of many professional societies. She has been awarded the Raj Bhasha Gaurav Award 2017 for a Hindi book by Rajbhsaha Vibhag, Govt. of India, and Young Scientist Award 2015 by SURE, Varanasi, as well as a Dr. Abdul Kalam Ajad Best Teacher Award. She earned her BSc (Ag) degree at Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, with a national talent scholarship of ICAR; her MSc (Ag) from the College of Basic Sciences And Humanities of G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, with ICAR-JRF; and her PhD from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, with CSIR and DST fellowship in Plant Physiology. She has also qualified for various NET examinations conducted by ASRB, CSIR, and UGC. Chandra Shekhar Seth, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Delhi, India. He currently teaches courses on algae and environment and human welfare at the postgraduate level, and phytohormone-assisted abiotic stress management in plants at PhD level. His major research interests include how various phytohormones mitigate heavy metals (HMs) as well as salinity-induced toxicity in plants, photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism under abiotic stress, and role of nanomaterials in mitigating the HMs and salt stresses in plants. He is a fellow and member of various societies. He has guided MSc, MPhil, three PhD dissertations, and is currently guiding several PhD students. He has published many research and review papers and several books and book chapters. He is a reviewer for many journals and has been serving as an executive guest editor for the journal Plant Physiology and Biochemistry (Elsevier). He earned his MSc degree in Botany from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (UP) and PhD degree in Botany from University of Lucknow (UP), India. Yang-Rui Li, PhD, is a life-time professor and has been serving as Director of the Sugarcane Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences since September 2007. He is also Chief Expert of the National Joint Research Program for Elite Sugarcane Variety Development in China. He worked in various capacities including as Professor in the Department of Agronomy, Guangxi Agricultural University; Vice-President of Guangxi University; President of the Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, etc. He is the President of the International Association for Professionals of Sugar and Integrated Technologies (IAPSIT); Vice-President of the Society for Sugar Research and Promotion (SSRP); and President of the Chinese Sugarcane Industry Association for Technological Innovation (CSIATI). His research interests include sugarcane physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, sugarcane genetics, breeding and cultivation, and chemical regulation of growth and development of sugarcane. He has published 16 books and more than 1000 papers and received 23 scientific research achievement awards from the Chinese government to date as well as 14 awards from international organizations, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Sugar Research and Promotion (2011), Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Professionals in Sugar and Integrated Technologies (2014), and Leadership Excellence Award from the Thailand Society of Sugarcane and Sugar Technologists (2018). He earned his BA degree at the Department of Agronomy, Guangxi Agricultural University, China, and MSc and PhD degrees from the Department of Agronomy, Fujian Agricultural University, China, respectively.