Dr. Saif Ullah

Cell: +86-18577101410:  Email: saif2012aup@gmail.com; saif@gxu.edu.cn

Brief Biography

Dr. Saif Ullah is a distinguished researcher who holds a Ph.D. in Agronomy with a specialization in Crop Science, earned from the College of Agriculture at Guangxi University in the People's Republic of China. He is currently serving as a postdoctoral researcher at the College of Forestry, Guangxi University. Dr. Saif has an impressive academic record, with over 40 publications in SCI journals and book chapters to his credit. He is also the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Soil, Plant, and Environment and contributes to various other journals as a guest editor and reviewer.

Dr. Saif’s research interests span a diverse range of topics in agriculture and environmental science. His work focuses on agroforestry, which integrates tree cultivation with crops; plant physiology, exploring the inner mechanisms of plants; plant-soil interactions, studying how plants engage with their growth medium; plant nutrition, emphasizing nutrient uptake and utilization; soil chemistry, examining soil composition and reactions; soil biology, investigating the role of microorganisms in maintaining soil health; soil conservation, focusing on strategies to prevent degradation; and nutrient cycling, analyzing the movement of essential elements in ecosystems. Dr. Saif's interdisciplinary expertise aims to advance sustainable agriculture and ecosystem management, addressing critical challenges in food security, environmental conservation, and sustainable development.

Education 

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Agronomy
Guangxi University, Nanning, China
Completed: June 2021

Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Agronomy
The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan
Completed: January 2018

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Agronomy
The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan
Completed: February 2016

Professional Experience
Postdoctoral Researcher
College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
July 2022 – October 2024

Research Assistant
The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan
June 2021 – July 2022

 

Publications
First-Author/Corresponding-Author Publications

  1. First-Author/Corresponding-Author Publications

    1. Ullah, S., Han, X., Ali, I., Li, W., Wu, T., Xu, Y., & Yang, M. (2024). Ecological impacts of diversified agroforestry on soil nutrients and bacterial communities in Pinus massoniana plantations in the southern subtropics. Industrial Crops and Products, 222, 119933. (Impact Factor: 5.6)
    2. Ullah, S., Han, X., Deng, R., Ali, I., Li, W., Xu, Y., & Yang, M. (2024). Impacts of shifting from single-species pine forests to distinct agroforestry models on soil fertility, exchangeable cations, and microbial functions. Journal of Environmental Management, 370, 122823. (Impact Factor: 8)
    3. Ullah, S., Ali, I., Jiang, L., … & Yang, M. (2024). Environmental benefits of biochar under changing climate: Biochar, a new technology for restoring contaminated and degraded soils. In Biochar-assisted remediation of contaminated soils under changing climate (1st ed., pp. 353-375). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-21562-9.00014-1
    4. Ullah, S., Liao, C., Xu, Y., Li, W., Ali, I., Han, X., … & Yang, M. (2024). Phenolic Acid Concentration and Adsorption in the Soil of Monoculture Eucalyptus and Acacia Mangium Plantations Versus Species Mixtures in Subtropical Forests. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 1-12. (Impact Factor: 3.4)
    5. Ullah, S., Liu, F., Xie, L., Liao, S., Li, W., Ali, I., … & Xu, Y. (2024). Autumnal Potassium Induced Modulations in Plant Osmoprotectant Substances, Nutrient Stoichiometry and Precision Sustainable Seedling Cultivation in Parashorea chinensis. Forests, 15(2), 310. (Impact Factor: 2.5)
    6. Ullah, S., Xu, Y., Liao, C., Li, W., Cheng, F., Ye, S., … & Yang, M. (2023). Continuous planting Eucalyptus plantations in subtropical China: Soil phenolic acid accumulation and adsorption physiognomies. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 6, p.1135029. (Impact Factor: 2.6)
    7. Ullah, S., Ali, I., Yang, M., Zhao, Q., Iqbal, A., Wu, X., Ahmad, S., Muhammad, I., Khan, A., Adnan, M., & Yuan, P. (2023). Partial substitution of urea with biochar induced improvements in soil enzyme activity, ammonia-nitrite oxidizers, and nitrogen uptake in the double-cropping rice system. Microorganisms, 11(2), p.527. (Impact Factor: 4.5)
    8. Ullah, S., Ali, I., Liang, H., Zhao, Q., Wei, S., Muhammad, I., … & Jiang, L. (2021). An approach to sustainable agriculture by untangling the fate of contrasting nitrogen sources in double‐season rice grown with and without biochar. GCB Bioenergy, 13(3), 382-392. (Impact Factor: 5.4)
    9. Ullah, S., Wu, K., Ali, I., Liang, H., Iqbal, A., Zhao, Q., … & Khan, Z. (2021). Biochar application to rice with 15N-labelled fertilizers, enhanced leaf nitrogen concentration and assimilation by improving morpho-physiological traits and soil quality. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. (Impact Factor: 4.5)
    10. Ullah, S., Liang, H., Ali, I., Zhao, Q., Iqbal, A., Wei, S., … & Jiang, L. (2020). Biochar coupled with contrasting nitrogen sources mediated changes in carbon and nitrogen pools, microbial and enzymatic activity in paddy soil. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society, 24(11), 835-849. (Impact Factor: 5.0)

    Under Review Articles

    1. Ullah, S., Jiang, L., Ali, I., & Ali, A. (2024). Unexplored potential of bioengineered nanoparticles as plant biostimulants in abiotic stress management: A review. Environmental Technology & Innovation. (Under review). (Impact Factor: 6.7)
    2. Ullah, S., Xiaomei H., Ali, I., Xu, Y.Y., & Mei, Y. (2024). Soil Nutrient Availability and Fungal Community Shifts in Monoculture and Agroforestry Systems: Insights from a Detailed Comparative Study. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. (Under review). (Impact Factor: 10.4)
    3. Ali, I., Shah, M. A., Ullah, S*, Iqbal, A., Ahmad, R., Mei, Y., & Jiang, L. (2024). Responses of methane and nitrous oxide emissions and soil methanogenic community dynamics to biochar and nitrogen fertilizer in rice paddy ecosystems. Journal of Environmental Informatics. (Under Review). (Corresponding Author) (Impact Factor: 4.0)

    Academic Scholarships

    • Higher Education Commission Talent Scholarship for M.Sc. (Hons) studies
    • JUNWU Doctoral Scholarship for Ph.D. studies

Conference Presentations

  1. ASEAN-China Environmental Cooperation Forum 2023: "Climate Innovation Network: Youth Leadership in Climate Resilience Actions in Asia and Africa" (September 15, 2023, Nanning, Guangxi, China)
  2. The 8th China Forestry Academic Conference: "Impact of Forest Conversion: Soil Fertility, Ecology, and Soil Conservation in Pure and Mixed Species Plantations" (July 28-31, 2023, Harbin, China)

Conferences Attended

  1. Thinking Climate Change Adaptation in Water and Farming (Think-Adapt, 2016) at the University of Agriculture, Peshawar
  2. Climate Change Threats to Agriculture and Food Security (November 22-24, 2017) at the University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan
  3. Maritime Silk Road International Conference on the Cooperation and Integration of Industry, Education, Research and Application (December 2022) at Guangxi University