Institute of Environmental Sciences & Engineering
Faculty Muhammad Ansar Farooq

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
Publications
Utilization of sewage sludge to manage saline–alkali soil and increase crop production: Is it safe or not? November 01, 2023 Muhammad Yousuf Jat Baloch, Wenjin Zhang, Tahira Sultana, Muhammad Akram, Baig Abdullah Al Shoumik, Md Zulfikar Khan, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, 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 Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Ayesha Batool, Sarfraz Shafiq, Muhammad Junaid, Jun Wang, Xiangru Tang, 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 Israr Asghar, Maqsood Ahmed, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Muhammad Ishtiaq, Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Akram, Adnan Umair, Abdulwahen F. Alrefaei, Muhammad Yousuf Jat Baloch, Aamna Naeem, Frontiers in Plant Science - Volume 14, Article Number 1232271
Cereal Responses to Nutrients and Avenues for Improving Nutrient Use Efficiency June 21, 2023 Ghulam Haider, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Tariq Shah, Saadatullah Malghani, Masood Iqbal Awan, Habib-ur-Rehman Athar, Attia Rubab Khalid, Abdul Ghaffar, 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 Zahra Souri, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Naser Karimi, Frontiers in Plant Science - Volume 14, Article Number 1227863
Phytotoxicity Response and Defense Mechanisms of Nanocomposites/Mixture of Nanoparticles June 01, 2023 Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Afsheen Fatima, Sana Rehman, Ayesha Batool, Irum Gul, Aamir Alaud Din, Hassan Anwer, Muhammad Arshad, 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 Maryam Noor, Adnan Khan Niazi, Faiz Ahmad Joyia, Waqas-ud-Din Khan, Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, 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 Marium Fiaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sumara Masood Ul Hassan, Adnan Khan Niazi, Muhammad Faheem Khokhar, Zeshan, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Muhammad Arshad, 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 Israr Asghar, Maqsood Ahmad, Irum Gul, Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Ishtiaq, Raja Tahir Mahmood, Adnan Umair, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Sarfraz Ahmad, Imran Ali, 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 Muhammad Ahsan, Hira Zulfiqar, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Sajjad Ali, Aasma Tufail, Shamsa Kanwal, Muhammad Rashid Shaheen, Mateen Sajid, Hira Gul, Aftab Jamal, Muhammad Farhan Saeed, Roberto Mancinelli, Emanuele Radicetti, 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 Muhammad Yousuf Jat Baloch, Wenjing Zhang, Dayi Zhang, Baig Abdullah Al Shoumik, Javed Iqbal, Shuxin Li, Juanfen Chai, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Anand Parkash, 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 Hameed Alsamada, Hesham F. Alhar, Hassan S. Al-Zahri, Yahya M. Alzahra, Afaf A. Almagham, Ghulam Abbas, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, 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 Umm e Rabiya, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Zafar Siddiq, Saud A. Alamri, Manzer H. Siddiqui, Waqas-ud-Din Khan, 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 Waqas ud Din Khan, Faiza Sharif, Muhammad Asif Naeem, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Zafar Siddiq, Muhammad Imran, 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 Masooma Batool, Waqas-ud-Din Khan, Yasir Hamid, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Muhammad Asif Naeem, Faisal Nadeem, 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 Waqas-ud-Din Khan, Rabia Shaukat, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Muhammad Nadeem Ashraf, Faisal Nadeem, Mohsin Tanveer, Yasir Hamid, Nan Sun, 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 Ghulam Abbas, Sadia Rehman, Manzer H. Siddiqui, Hayssam M. Ali, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Yinglong Chen, 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 Zahra Souri, Naser Karimi, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Allan Klynger da Silva Lobato, 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 Zeshan Haider, Muhammad Muneeb Subhani, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Maryum Ishaq, Maryam Khalid, Muhammad Numan Akram, Rao Sohail Ahmad Khan, Adnan Khan Niazi, Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences - Volume 33, Issue 6, Pages 2697-2705
Phytohormonal signaling under abiotic stress April 17, 2020 Zahra Souri, Naser Karimi, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Javaid Akhtar, 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 Zahra Souri, Naser Karimi, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Luisa M. Sandalio, 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 Muhammad Imran, Sarfraz Shafiq, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Muhammad Kashif Naeem, Emilie Widemann, Ali Bakhsh, Kevin B. Jensen, Richard R.C. Wang, 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 Laila Shahzad, Arifa Tahir, Faiza Sharif, Waqas ud Din Khan, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Azhar Abbas, Zulfiqar Ahmad Saqib, 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 Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Zulfiqar Ahmad Saqib, Javaid Akhtar, Hafiz Faiq Bakhat, Ratna-Kumar Pasala, Karl-josef Dietz, Silicon - Volume 11, Pages 2193-2197
Silicon nutrition improves growth of salt-stressed wheat by modulating flows and partitioning of Na+, Cl− and mineral ions August 01, 2019 Tahir Javaid, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Javaid Akhtar, Zulfiqar Ahmad Saqib, Muhammad Anwar-ul-Haq, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry - Volume 141, Pages 291-299
Acquiring control: The evolution of ROS-Induced oxidative stress and redox signaling pathways in plant stress responses August 01, 2019 Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Adnan Khan Niazi, Javaid Akhtar, Saifullah, Muhammad Farooq, Zahra Souri, Naser Karimi, Zed Rengel, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry - Volume 141, Pages 353-369
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 Naser Karimi, Fariba Vakilipak, Zahra Souri, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Javaid Akhtar, 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 Syed Azhar Hussain, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Javaid Akhtar, Zulfiqar Ahmad Saqib, 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 Saifullah, Saad Dahlawi, Asif Naeem, Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Sadia Bibi, Zed Rengel, Chemosphere - Volume 194, Pages 171-188
Silicon-induced reversibility of cadmium toxicity in rice May 01, 2016 Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Amelie Detterbeck, Stephan Clemens, Karl-josef Dietz, 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 Pasala Ratnakumar, Md Iqbal Raja Khan, Paramjit Singh Minhas, Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Rafat Sultana, Tasir S. Per, Pallavi P. Deokate, Nafees Ahmad Khan, Yogeshwar Singh, Jagadish Rane, 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 Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Karl-josef Dietz, 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 Muhammad Ansar Farooq, Zulfiqar Ahmad Saqib, Javaid Akhtar, Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry - Volume 39, Pages 718-729
Conferences
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)
Challenges of Sustainable Plant Nutrition Under Climate Change Demystifying the Role of Silicon in Plant Biology March 15, 2023 - March 16, 2023 Muhammad Ansar Farooq, 1st International Conference on Soil Pollution and Remediation
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 Professor National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) September 09, 2021 - July 20, 2023
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