Tariq Ahmad Bhat, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer of Botany at the Department of Education, Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is engaged in research of molecular biology, plant biotechnology, mutation breeding, and genetic improvement of legumes and medicinal plants. He has published books, research papers, review articles, and book chapters. He also serves as the District Coordinator Anantnag of a project on medicinal plants under the financial assistance of the National Medicinal Plants Board, India. He is a life member of several scientific societies and a reviewer for international scientific journals. He has received several awards for his work. Abdul Rauf Shakoori, PhD, is a Distinguished National Professor and Professor Emeritus of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Punjab, Pakistan. With over 60 years as a teacher and research scientist, he is among the pioneers who introduced modern trends in biological sciences and played a key role in the introduction of cellular and molecular biology as a subject of study and research at the universities of Pakistan. Dr. Shakoori has published many research articles, over 20 books, and book chapters. He developed collaborative research programs with scientists at the University of Massachusetts, USA, where was a Visiting Professor of Cell Biology for more than 25 years. He has received awards for his work over the years. Jameel M. Al-Khayri, PhD, is a Professor of Plant Biotechnology at the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. He has published research and review papers in addition to book chapters. He has served as editor of several special issues of international journals and is also editor of several reference books. He has been a member of editorial boards and review panels of several international journals, participated in the organizing and scientific committees of international conferences, and contributed over 50 research presentations. In addition to teaching, graduate student advising, and conducting funded research projects, he has held various administrative posts.
