Patrick Rakau | Mutation Breeding | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Infectious

Mr. Patrick Rakau | Mutation Breeding | Best Researcher Award 

Researcher | Agricultural Research Council | South Africa

Mr. Patrick Ngwako Rakau is an accomplished agricultural researcher specializing in forage and range science, with expertise in pasture management, forage breeding, and sustainable agricultural systems. He serves as a Junior Researcher in Range and Forage Sciences at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), South Africa, and is pursuing a PhD in Crop Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on the response of ethyl-methane sulphonate (EMS) mutagenized teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] for dual-purpose traits that enhance its suitability for both animal feed and human consumption. His research advances the development of climate-smart and high-yield forage varieties that improve livestock productivity and soil health across diverse agro-ecological systems. As project leader of the National Cover Crop Program funded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, he has coordinated multi-provincial collaborations to promote sustainable agricultural practices. Mr. Rakau has authored numerous scientific papers, conference abstracts, and semi-scientific articles in prominent outlets including Farmers Weekly, AgriAbout, StockFarm, and the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Biology. A long-standing member of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA) and a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), he actively contributes to professional knowledge networks and agricultural policy development. Through collaborations with national and international seed companies such as PGW Seeds (New Zealand) and DLF Seed International, he has advanced forage improvement programs emphasizing resilience, nutritional quality, and genetic diversity. His dedication to farmer education, postgraduate supervision, and community outreach reflects his enduring commitment to knowledge transfer, sustainable food systems, and agricultural innovation in Africa.

Profile: ORCID 

Publication

1. Mbambalala, L., Mpanza, T. D. E., Tjelele, T. J., Ncisana, L., Mkhungo, S., Sithole, L., Nzeru, M. S., Rakau, P. N., Rani-Kamwendo, Z. T., & Mkhize, N. R. (2025). Dryland fodder radish genotypes: Planting date effects on nutritive value and in-vitro dry matter degradability in Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

 

Mr. Patrick Ngwako Rakau’s research advances sustainable livestock production through the development of climate-resilient and nutrient-rich forage crops. His work supports food security and environmental sustainability by improving the productivity and adaptability of pasture systems under changing climatic conditions.

Adnan Lahuf | Plant Viruses | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Infectious

Dr. Adnan Lahuf | Plant Viruses | Best Researcher Award

Academic Professor | University of Kerbala | Iraq

Professor Dr. Adnan A. Lahuf, an esteemed scholar and researcher in Plant Virology, serves in the Plant Protection Department at the College of Agriculture, University of Kerbala. He holds a BSc in Plant Protection Sciences and an MSc in Plant Pathology from the University of Kufa, Iraq, and earned his PhD in Plant Virology from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom. With a distinguished academic and professional career, Dr. Lahuf has contributed extensively to plant disease diagnostics, molecular virology, and biocontrol methods, holding leadership roles such as Registration Manager of the College of Agriculture and Editor-in-Chief of the Kerbala Journal for Agricultural Sciences. His professional service includes membership in the American Society of Plant Pathology and the Arab Plant Protection Society, as well as participation in multiple national scientific and agricultural conferences. Dr. Lahuf’s research primarily focuses on plant viruses, fungal pathogens, and nanotechnology-based plant disease management. He has authored numerous publications in international journals, reporting several first records of plant diseases and developing innovative, cost-effective diagnostic techniques. As a dedicated mentor, he has supervised doctoral and master’s students, conducted workshops and training programs, and received multiple commendations for his academic excellence and institutional service. His scholarly impact is reflected through 251 Citations, 38 Documents, 11 h-index.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Lahuf, A. A., & Kareem, A. A. (2019). Evaluation the potential of indigenous biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum and its interactive effect with nanosized ZnO particles against the sunflower damping-off pathogen. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 365, 012033.

2. Lahuf, A. A., Jaafar, O. H., Al-Mosoy, M., & Hameed, Z. L. (2018). First record of the crown rot fungus Fusarium equiseti affecting Triticum aestivum L. and Aptenia cordifolia in Iraq. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 6(4), 543–548.

3. Abdulmoohsin, R. G., & Lahuf, A. A. (2019). Bioefficiency of some indigenous biocontrol agents against Rhizoctonia solani causing cowpea seed rot and preemergence damping-off. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science: 4th International Conference.

4. Al-Tememe, Z. A. M., & Lahuf, A. A. (2019). Occurrence, identification, pathogenicity and control of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum fungus, the causal agent of sooty canker on Eucalyptus camaldulensis in Kerbala province of Iraq. Plant Archives, 19(1), 31–38.

5. Lahuf, A. A. (2019). First report of Fusarium proliferatum causing stem and root rot on lucky bamboo (Dracaena braunii) in Iraq. Hellenic Plant Protection Journal, 12, 1.