Mumtaz Ul Haq Qureshi

PERSONAL PROFILE

Name

SABA MUMTAZ

Father’s Name

MUMTAZ UL HAQ QURESHI

Date of Birth

19TH JANUARY, 1958

Domicile

HYDERABAD, SINDH

N.I.C. No.

41304-0448375-4

MARITAL STATUS

MARRIED

Designation

DEPUTY CHIEF SCIENTIST

Division

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY

Field of Specialization

STRESS PHYSIOLOGY

Date of joining PAEC at NIA, Tandojam

08/12/1983

Postal Address

NUCLEAR INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE, TANDOJAM-70060

Telephone No.

022-2765750

Sabapaec @yahoo.com

a)ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

Matriculation

1973

BISE, Hyderabad.

Second

Intermediate

1975

BISE, Hyderabad.

First

B.Sc. (Hons.)

1980

Univ. of Sindh, Jamshoro.

First

M.Sc.

1982

Univ. of Sindh, Jamshoro.

First

b)PROFESSIONAL CAREER

Position held

From

Organization

Scientific Officer

08/12/1983

01/12/1992

NIA, Tandojam.

Senior Scientiist

10/12/1992

01/12/1998

NIA, Tandojam.

Principal Scientiist

01/12/1998

01/12/2009

NIA, Tandojam.

Deputy Chief Scientist

01/12/2009

To date

NIA, Tandojam

c)PROFESSIONAL TRAINING:

Training

Sponsored by

Duration

Place

Training on methods in tissue culture at Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Institute of Resistance Genetics.

PAEC-KFK Bilateral Agreement Programme

15 June to 16 Sept., 1986

Gruenbach, W. Germany.

Attended a Regional Training Course on Microbial Technologies held at Centre for Advanced Molecular Biology.

PAEC

26 Sept. to 15 Oct., 1987

University of Punjab

d)SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

Head Plant Physiology Division, NIA, Tandojam (Sindh), Pakistan since 2/1/2004 to date. The division consisted of over 15 Scientists and scientific staff.

ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE WHOLE SERVICE

After joining PAEC at AEARC, Tandojam renamed NIA, Tandojam, I have been involved in conducting salt tolerance studies in major field crops such as wheat, rice, sunflower and brassica. Worked as research associate in some basic physiological studies which were conducted on various stress related hormonally regulated physiological mechanisms. These studies have increased our understanding of nutritional physiology, hormonal balances, their kinetics and their role on different growth and physiological processes like signal transduction, enzymes regulation and senescence under saline stress.
The role of abscisic acid (AbA) on proline accumulation under stressful environmental conditions was studied. Proline accumulation is not a specific response to salinity/osmotic stress but also accumulates under etiolation and disease infection (rust). We have also demonstrated that AbA is not involved in proline accumulation under salinity stress.
The Kinetics of 14C-IAA was studied in maize coleoptile segments treated with norflurazon (AbA inhibitor) and triadimifon (GA inhibitor) in a donor: tissue: receiver system. The results indicate that the percent transport of 14C-IAA and the transport intensity was enhanced in the segments in which biosynthesis of GA and AbA was interfered. It has been reported that external application of GA enhances while AbA inhibits auxin transport. Therefore, this is perhaps the first study, which suggests that blockage of GA, or AbA biosynthesis did not decrease the auxin transport intensity.
Nitrate reductase (NR), the first regulatory enzyme of nitrogen assimilation pathway is sensitive to environmental stress and various explanations including the adverse effect of enhanced AbA level has been proposed. We studied the effect of enhanced and reduced AbA levels on this enzyme and observed that salinity affects its activity indirectly, i.e. by reducing the substrate (NO3) flux.
Salinity/osmotic stress inhibits plants growth, effects plant hormones, and initiates the process of senescence leading to death of plants. Since cytokinin (CK) and abscisic acid (AbA) levels are known to differentially influence the senescence process, their effect on chlorophyll contents of salinity stressed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings were studied. Chlorophyll degradation was reduced by Ck (benzylamino purine) but not by other treatments.
Screening for salt tolerance has been going on and we have been able to identify plants species and cultivars of different crops (cereals, oilseeds) which can withstand moderate to high salt levels and can be cultivated in salt affected areas. These materials also provide a gene bank for use in breeding programmes to transfer desirable gene traits.
A technique has been perfected for mango to enhance the fruit retention by aqueous spray of salicylic acid, which has almost doubled the fruit yield of elite mango varieties. This technique is gaining popularity among the orchards owners of Sindh region.
Received two professional trainings, one from West Germany and second from Centre for Advanced Molecular Biology, University of Punjab.
Looking-after the divisional matter as Head of Division since 2003 till date.
Published 33 papers (Impact Faactor 27.122) in journals of National and International repute.
Published brochure on “Effective and economic method of fruit retention in mango” in urdu language for dissemination of technology to the orchard owners.
Member, Sports & Cultural Committee, Research Review Committee, Reception Committee, Invitation Committee and Registration Committee (Farmers’ Day)
Organized 1st National Workshop on "Screening techniques for stress tolerance" on October 5-6, 2011 at NIA, Tandojam and presented overview of Plant Physiology Division
Convener, Loss of PAEC Identity Card Committee and Canteen Committee
Honorary Principal, Management Committee for PAECModelSchool, RCT, NIA, Tandojam
Tamgha e-Baqa 2001 on the occasion of Youm-e-Takbeer, 28th May 1998