Muhammad Ansar Farooq
Associate Professor
- Institute of Environmental Sciences & Engineering
- 5190854307
Summary
Dr. Muhammad Ansar Farooq holds a PhD degree in Natural Sciences from Universität Bielefeld, Germany. His interest lies in the research areas of soil-plant-environment interaction with particular focus on Synthetic Fertilizers, Soil Pollution (Nano plastics, Heavy Metals, Salinity etc.) and Food Security related issues. He completed his BS & MS in Soil & Environmental Sciences from University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. He started his career in the academia in 2017 and served at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Dr. Farooq also holds industrial experience, where he has served the largest fertilizer industry of Pakistan i.e., Fauji Fertilizer Company (2019-2021). Currently, he is employed at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) at School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SCEE), Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (IESE).
Academic Background
PhD
(Natural Sciences) Universität Bielefeld
April 01, 2013 - February 03, 2017
Honours and Awards
Silver Medal
Silver Medal awarded by University of Agriculture, Faisalabad for securing 2nd highest percentage marks in BSc. (Hons.) session 2005-2009
May 21, 2010
HEC Overseas Scholarship
HEC 90% Overseas Scholarship for PhD in Germany
June 29, 2012
Nominee NLM
Nominee of 70th Interdisciplinary Nobel Laureate Meeting - nominated by Higher Education Commission in collaboration with Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences & Lindau Council, Germany
October 10, 2019
Charles Wallace Visiting Fellowship
Charles Wallace Visiting Fellowship awarded by British Council, Pakistan
August 17, 2023
Fulbright Scholar Award for 2024-25
Awarded by United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) to carry out postdoctoral research at Ohio State University, USA
April 03, 2024
Honorary Research Fellow
Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen
June 13, 2024
Publications
Cost-effective phosphorous recovery from distillery wastewater using inherent nutrients: agronomic and economic assessment
March 23, 2026
Environment Development and Sustainability - Pages 30
Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots enhance rice seedlings growth and antioxidant defense system under arsenic stress
November 15, 2025
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety - Volume 307, Article Number 119413
Protective Role of GABA in Aromatic Rice Under Lead and Cadmium Toxicity: Physiological and Biochemical Insights
August 17, 2025
Plants-Basel - Volume:14(16), Article Number:2561
Comparative assessment of biochar and vermicompost on chromium bioavailability and stress alleviation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
July 31, 2025
Journal of Soils and Sediments - Pages 1-21
Carbon quantum dots as versatile nanomaterials for improving soil health and plant stress tolerance: a comprehensive review
July 09, 2025
Planta - Volume:262, Issue:2, Article Number 44
Nanomaterials as Nanofertilizers for Climate-Smart Agriculture
May 17, 2025
Climate Smart Agriculture for Future Food Security - 1st Edition, Chapter 15, Pages 339-360
Maize growth and physiological dynamics: Arsenic uptake modulation under combined abiotic stresses of salinity, boron and arsenic
February 01, 2025
Environmental Technology & Innovation - Volume:37, ID:103915, Available online 28
Quantification and polymeric characterization of microplastics in composts and their accumulation in lettuce
August 01, 2024
Chemosphere - Volume 361, Article Number 142520
Utilization of sewage sludge to manage saline–alkali soil and increase crop production: Is it safe or not?
November 01, 2023
Environmental Technology and Innovation - Volume 32, Article Number: 103266
Impact and mitigation of lead, cadmium and micro/nano plastics in fragrant rice☆
October 01, 2023
Environmental Pollution - Volume 334, Article Numbr 122224
Characterizing Indigenous Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria and their Synergistic Effects with Organic and Chemical Fertilizers on Wheat (Triticum aestivum)
August 16, 2023
Frontiers in Plant Science - Volume 14, Article Number 1232271
Cereal Responses to Nutrients and Avenues for Improving Nutrient Use Efficiency
June 21, 2023
Book on Cereal Crops: Genetic Resources and Breeding Techniques - 1st Edition, Chapter 5, Pages:31
Editorial: Silicon and heavy metal stress in plants: current knowledge and future prospects
June 12, 2023
Frontiers in Plant Science - Volume 14, Article Number 1227863
Phytotoxicity Response and Defense Mechanisms of Nanocomposites/Mixture of Nanoparticles
June 01, 2023
Book on Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites Exposures to Plants - 1st Edition, Chapter 3, Pages 43-59
Regulation of cell signaling in response to abiotic stresses in plants
May 16, 2023
The Role of Growth Regulators and Phytohormones in Overcoming Environmental Stress - 1st Edition, Chapter 1, Pages 1-14
Antibiotics induced changes in nitrogen metabolism and antioxidative enzymes in mung bean (Vigna radiata)
May 15, 2023
Science of the Total Environment - Volume 873, Article Number 162449
Plant growth promotion and nutrient mobilization by indigenous bacteria from soil under long term wheat and maize cultivation in district Bhimber
March 31, 2023
Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences - Volume 60, Issue 1, Pages 83-93
Strigolactone (GR24) Application Positively Regulates Photosynthetic Attributes, Stress-Related Metabolites and Antioxidant Enzymatic Activities of Ornamental Sunflower (Helianthus annuus cv. Vincent’s Choice) under Salinity Stress
December 23, 2022
Agriculture - Volume 13(1), Article Number 50
Evolution Mechanism of Arsenic Enrichment in Groundwater and Associated Health Risks in Southern Punjab, Pakistan
October 15, 2022
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Volume 19(20), Article Number 13325
Silicon-nanoparticles doped biochar is more effective than biochar for mitigation of arsenic and salinity stress in Quinoa: Insight to human health risk assessment
October 10, 2022
Frontiers in Plant Science - Volume 13, Article Number 98950
Comparative efficiency of silica gel, biochar, and plant growth promoting bacteria on Cr and Pb availability to Solanum melongena L. in contaminated soil irrigated with wastewater
August 04, 2022
Frontiers in Plant Science - Volume 13, Article Number 950362
Chitosan Polymerized Silica Composite as a Potential Silicon Source: Modulation on Antioxidant Enzymes, Ionic Homeostasis, and Grain Quality in Maize Plants Under Na+ Stress
July 09, 2022
Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Pages 1-16
Interaction of pristine and mineral engineered biochar with microbial community in attenuating the heavy metals toxicity: A review
July 01, 2022
Applied Soil Ecology - Volume 175, Article Number 104444
Iron-Doped Biochar Regulated Soil Nickel Adsorption, Wheat Growth, Its Physiology and Elemental Concentration under Contrasting Abiotic Stresses
June 28, 2022
Sustainability (Switzerland) - Volume 14, Issue 13, Article Number 7852
Potassium and Humic Acid Synergistically Increase Salt Tolerance and Nutrient Uptake in Contrasting Wheat Genotypes through Ionic Homeostasis and Activation of Antioxidant Enzymes
January 19, 2022
Plants - Volume 11(3), Article Number 263
Improved physiological defense responses by application of sodium nitroprusside in Isatis cappadocica Desv. under cadmium stress
September 01, 2021
Physiologia Plantarum - Volume 173, Issue 1, Pages 100-115
In-silico pharmacophoric and molecular docking-based drug discovery against the Main Protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, a causative agent COVID-19
November 30, 2020
Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences - Volume 33, Issue 6, Pages 2697-2705
Phytohormonal signaling under abiotic stress
April 17, 2020
Book on Plant Life under Changing Environment: Responses and Management - Chapter 16, Pages 397-466
Nitric oxide improves tolerance to arsenic stress in Isatis cappadocica desv. Shoots by enhancing antioxidant defenses
January 01, 2020
Chemosphere - Volume 239, Article Number 124523
Comparative genome-wide analysis and expression profiling of histone acetyltransferase (HAT) gene family in response to hormonal applications, metal and abiotic stresses in cotton
October 25, 2019
International Journal of Molecular Sciences - Volume 20(21), Article Number 5311
Vulnerability, well-being, and livelihood adaptation under changing environmental conditions: a case from mountainous region of Pakistan
September 01, 2019
Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Volume 26, Pages 26748-26764
Protective Role of Silicon (Si) Against Combined Stress of Salinity and Boron (B) Toxicity by Improving Antioxidant Enzymes Activity in Rice
August 15, 2019
Silicon - Volume 11, Pages 2193-2197
Acquiring control: The evolution of ROS-Induced oxidative stress and redox signaling pathways in plant stress responses
August 01, 2019
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry - Volume 141, Pages 353-369
Silicon nutrition improves growth of salt-stressed wheat by modulating flows and partitioning of Na+, Cl− and mineral ions
August 01, 2019
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry - Volume 141, Pages 291-299
The role of selenium on mitigating arsenic accumulation, enhancing growth and antioxidant responses in metallicolous and non-metallicolous population of Isatis cappadocica Desv. and Brassica oleracea L
July 01, 2019
Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Volume 26, Pages 21704-21716
Silicon-mediated growth and yield improvement of sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) subjected to brackish water stress
April 22, 2018
Acta Physiologiae Plantarum - Volume 40, Article Number 180
Opportunities and challenges in the use of mineral nutrition for minimizing arsenic toxicity and accumulation in rice: A critical review
March 01, 2018
Chemosphere - Volume 194, Pages 171-188
Silicon-induced reversibility of cadmium toxicity in rice
May 01, 2016
Journal of Experimental Botany - Volume 67, Issue 11, May 2016, Pages 3573–3585
Can plant bio-regulators minimize crop productivity losses caused by drought, salinity and heat stress? An integrated review
March 22, 2016
Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality - Volume 89, Pages 113 - 125
Silicon as Versatile Player in Plant and Human Biology: Overlooked and Poorly Understood
November 12, 2015
Frontiers in Plant Science - Volume 6, Article Number 994.
Silicon-mediated oxidative stress tolerance and genetic variability in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown under combined stress of salinity and boron toxicity
September 30, 2015
Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry - Volume 39, Pages 718-729
Conferences
Development of Dual Purpose Bio-based Polymer Coated Urea Fertilizer: Controlled Nitrogen Release and Tailored Zinc Supply
September 25, 2024 - September 27, 2024
Tooba Khan, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Aamir Alaud Din,
International Conference on Integrated Life Sciences (ICiLS)
Organic Fertilizers: A Potential Source of Microplastics Entry into FOOD Chain
February 20, 2024 - February 22, 2024
Aamna Naeem, Aamir Alaud Din, Muhammad Ansar Farooq,
20th International Congress of Soil Science
Effect of Soil Ammendments on Chromium (Cr) Contaminated Soil in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
April 14, 2023 - May 16, 2023
Jamaluddin Kabir Kharotai, Shumaila Parvez, Hassan Anwer, Aamir Alaud Din, Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Ansar Farooq,
NUST Conference on Agricultural Sciences and Technology (NCAST)
Silicon-induced reversibility of cadmium toxicity in rice
August 30, 2015 - September 03, 2015
Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Karl-Josef Dietz,
Botanikertagung 2015
Silicon-mediated oxidative stress tolerance and genetic variability in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown under combined stress of salinity and boron toxicity
August 26, 2014 - August 30, 2014
Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Dietz K-J,
6th Int. Conference on Silicon in Agriculture
Assistant Executive
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited
September 03, 2019 - September 08, 2021
Assistant Professor
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
May 18, 2017 - May 17, 2018
Junior Executive
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited
February 02, 2012 - August 31, 2012