Dr. Xiaohua Long | Soil Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Inner Mongolia Agricultural University | China

Dr. Xiaohua Long, from Danyang, Jiangsu, earned his PhD from Nanjing Agricultural University in 2007, specializing in stress-tolerant plant breeding, comprehensive utilization of crops, and reclamation and development of salt-alkali soils. He has led or participated in over 40 national and provincial research projects, contributing to transformative agricultural practices, and has published more than 160 research papers, including over 70 SCI-indexed articles as first or corresponding author. His innovative work has resulted in 30+ patent applications, including 18 authorized invention patents and seven utility model patents, alongside two provincially approved crop varieties. Recognized with more than 10 provincial and ministerial awards, Dr. Xiaohua Long achievements include national and provincial technology awards, the Shennong Chinese Agricultural Science and Technology Award, and multiple industry-academia collaboration honors. His research leadership spans major projects addressing coastal salt-alkali soil improvement, ecological high-value agriculture, and stress-resilient crops, with applications in sustainable agriculture and land reclamation. With 98 documented publications indexed by Scopus, 2,893 citations, and an h-index of 31, Dr. Xiaohua Long’s work demonstrates both high productivity and significant scientific impact, establishing him as a leading researcher in plant stress physiology and salt-alkali land management.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

Long, X., et al. (2025). Identification and characterization of copper-responsive miRNAs and their target genes in Jerusalem artichoke. Plants.

Long, X., et al. (2024). Transcriptome analysis reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying the enhancement of salt-tolerance in Melia azedarach under salinity stress. Scientific Reports.

Long, X., et al. (2024). Planting trees on sandy saline soil increases soil carbon and nitrogen content by altering the composition of the microbial community. Agronomy.

Long, X., et al. (2024). Unveiling HSP40/60/70/90/100 gene families and abiotic stress response in Jerusalem artichoke. Gene.

Long, X., et al. (2024). Identification and expression analysis of miR396 and its target genes in Jerusalem artichoke under temperature stress. Gene.

Long, X., et al. (2023). Amelioration of saline-alkali land by cultivating Melia azedarach and characterization of underlying mechanisms via metabolome analysis. Land Degradation and Development.

Long, X., et al. (2023). Salt stress affects the biomass of industrial crop Jerusalem artichoke by affecting sugar transport and metabolism. Heliyon.

Dr. Ramin SamieiFard | Soil Science | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Ramin SamieiFard, Pennsylvania State University, United States

Dr. Ramin SamieiFard is a soil scientist with a Ph.D. in Soil Management and Land Resources from the University of Tehran. He is currently a Research Assistant at Penn State University, specializing in soil genesis, remote sensing, and GIS. Dr. SamieiFard has extensive teaching experience at universities in Iran and the US, covering subjects like organic fertilizers and precision agriculture. His research includes geopedology, heavy metal adsorption, and soil quality indicators. An author of numerous publications, he has also presented at international conferences and holds a patent in agricultural technology. 🌍📚🌱

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

Education 🎓

Dr. SamieiFard earned his Ph.D. in Soil Management and Land Resources from the University of Tehran in 2022. He holds an M.Sc. in Soil Science from Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and a B.Sc. in Soil Science from the University of Tehran.

Professional Experience 💼

He has served as a Research Assistant/Associate at Penn State University since 2023 and was an Assistant Professor at Razi University. He also managed organic fertilizer farms at the University of Tehran and Shahid Chamran University.

Teaching Experience 📚

Dr. SamieiFard has lectured at various universities, including Penn State and Razi University, on topics such as Precision Agriculture Technology, Remote Sensing, and GIS in Soil Sciences.

Research Focus

Dr. R. Samiei-Fard’s research focuses on soil science and environmental geochemistry, particularly in the context of soil contamination and remediation. His work encompasses the use of spectroscopy, remote sensing, and statistical models to predict and map soil heavy metals and other pollutants. Additionally, he investigates the adsorption properties of minerals like sepiolite for removing heavy metals from multi-ionic solutions and the impacts of soil amendments on fertility and plant growth. Dr. Samiei-Fard’s studies are crucial for understanding soil health, developing sustainable agricultural practices, and mitigating environmental pollution. 🌍🧪📊📡🌱

Publication Top Notes

Capability of vis-NIR spectroscopy and Landsat 8 spectral data to predict soil heavy metals in polluted agricultural land (Iran) – R Samiei Fard, HR Matinfar, Arabian Journal of Geosciences 9, 1-14, 2016. Cited by: 38 📊🌍
Adsorption of Cd, Co, and Zn from multi-ionic solutions onto Iranian sepiolite isotherms – R Samieifard, A Landi, N Pourreza, Central Asian Journal of Environmental Science and Technology Innovation 2, 2021. Cited by: 14 🧪⚗️
Application of particle size distribution throughout the soil profile as a criterion for recognition of newly developed geoforms in the Southeastern Caspian coast – R Samiei-Fard, A Heidari, M Konyushkova, S Mahmoodi, Catena 203, 105362, 2021. Cited by: 7 📏📊
Geochemical characteristics of saline soils formed during the recent retreat of the Caspian Sea – A Heidari, R Samiei-Fard, Catena 243, 108208, 2024. 🌊🧪
The Effect of Using a Geopedological Approach in Determining Land Quality Indicators, Land Degradation, and Development (Case Study: Caspian Sea Coast) – R Samiei-Fard, A Heidari, PJ Drohan, S Mahmoodi, S Ghatrehsamani, Environments 11 (20), 2024. 🌍🧪
Testing the Effect of Biochar and Biochar-Based Organic Amendments on Soil Fertility and Plant Growth: A Greenhouse Study – E Bazilevskaya, M Robbins, R SamieiFard, A Colestock, ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, 2023. 🌱🌿
Assessment of Some Kriging Methods for Mapping the Soil Electrical Conductivity: Case Study of Southeastern Coast of Caspian Sea of Iran – R Samieifard, A Heidari, PJ Drohan, Journal of Global Ecology and Environment 13 (1), 12-21, 2021. 🗺️⚡
Use of Partial Least Squares Regression Model (PLSR) for Providing Organic Carbon Special Distribution Map of Caspian Sea Coastal Soils – M SamieiFard, R., Heidari, A., Mahmoodi, S., Konyushkova, 16th Iranian Soil Sciences Congress, 2019. 🌱📊
Preparation of the Calcium Carbonate Spatial Distribution Map of Caspian Sea Coastal Soils Using Partial Least Squares Regression Model (PLSR) – M SamieiFard, R., Heidari, A., Mahmoodi, S., Konyushkova, 16th Iranian Soil Sciences Congress, 2019. 🌍📊
Assessment of Visible and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Estimation of Lead and Nickel Heavy Metals Content in Soil (Case Study: Rey Lands) – RS Fard, H Matinfar, JWSS-Isfahan University of Technology 21 (4), 201-214, 2018. 🔬📊

Xiaohua Long | Soil Sciences | Best Researcher Award