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Ahmad, Altaf,
Lecturer in Botany at Jamia
Hamdard, New Delhi has worked on agronomics, physiological and biochemical
aspects of sulphur nutrition to rapeseed-mustard, which have relevance to
improvement in crop productivity.
He has worked out the biochemical basis
of role of sulphur nutrition in enhancing the content and quality of oil
in the seeds of rape seed. It has been suggested that increase in oil
content of seed due to S-nutrition is associated with the increase in the
acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity (the enzyme catalyzing the first committed
step of oil biosynthesis) through enhancement in acetyl-CoA content (the
immediate precursor of fatty acid biosynthesis and substrate for acetyl
CoA carboxylase). Sulphur nutrition improved the quality of oil by
reducing the conversion of oleic acid (18:1) to erucic acid (22:1).
Efficiency of photosynthetic apparatus
in rapeseed-mustard grown under sulphur deficient and sulphur sufficient
conditions has been examined and correlated it to improved nitrogen use
efficiency of the crops. Based on the very interesting relationship
between nitrogen content and photosynthetic rate in the leaves of plants,
it has been suggested that adequate S supply improved the nitrogen
utilization efficiency of photosynthetic apparatus, leading to
incorporation of the reduced-N into proteins, especially in Rubisco
proteins rather than the non-protein compounds, thereby enhancing
photosynthesis of both the genotypes.
His group have developed a balanced
nutrient management package for optimum growth, yield and quality of
rapeseed-mustard on the basis of effect of doses and timing of fertilizer
(NPKS) applications on various physiological and biochemical parameters of
rapeseed-mustard. This package is under trial at farmer fields in various
states of India.
Ahmad has also identified two forms of
nitrate reductases (NRs) in the leaves of mustard, which induces in
sequence during growth and development of the mustard plant. NAD(P)H:NR
expresses at higher levels in early stages of plant growth and
development, when nitrate supply remains high; while NADH:NR expresses in
the later stages of plant growth and development, when the nitrate levels
become comparatively low.
Dr Ahmad has been honoured with the INSA
Medal for Young Scientist (2003), Professor LSS Kumar Memorial Award
(2003) of INSA and the AAAS (Jr.) Award (2002) of the Academy for
Advancement of Agricultural Sciences. He has been elecvted as Associate of
National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He has to his credit over a
dozen research publications on mineral nutrition and crop yield.
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