Nazrul (Naz) Islam, Ph.D. (USask)

Research Scientist (Crop Pathology & Soil Microbiology)

Microbiologist for metagenomics and metatranscriptomics of disease (e.g., FHB) suppressive microbiomes under the pulse-cereal-oilseed rotation systems in western Canada
Pathologist for Fusarium head blight (FHB) associated with pathogens and mycotoxins in western Canada

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Morden Research and Development Centre

Current research and/or projects

Population genetics of Fusarium poae and F. graminearum in cereal FHB across the western Canadian prairies
Functional genomics of disease (FHB) suppressive soil microbiomes (fungi/bacteria) under diverse crop rotations in western Canada
Fungicide sensitivity to FHB species of barley and oats
FHB associated mycotoxins in cereal grains across western Canada

Research and/or project statements

I am responsible to investigate;

population and functional genomics of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) in cereal production
FHB associated mycotoxin hazards in cereal grains
suppressive microbiomes associated with FHB and other soil/seed-pathogens under diverse (pulse/oilseed/cereal) crop rotations across western Canada

Professional activities / interests

Certified Crop Advisor (CCA), Canadian Prairies
Articling Agrologist (A.Ag.), Saskatchewan/Manitoba Institute of Agrologist, Canada
Member of the Australian Plant Pathology Society (APPS)
Member of the Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS)
Canadian Society of Soil Science Society (CSSS)
Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM)
Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS)

Education and awards

Ph.D. in Soil Microbiology (Fungal Genetics), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
M.Sc. in Phytopathology (Clubroot and Glucosinolates), University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
M.S. in Plant Pathology (Biocontrol of Soil-Borne Pathogens), Bangabandhu SMR Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
B.Sc. in Agriculture (Soil and Plant), Shere-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

International experience and/or work

Quantifying glucosinolates following clubroot infection (Plasmodiophora brassicae) in brassica crops (USydney, Australia)
Soil-pathogens, biocontrol and crop health improvement in the organic/semi-organic system (BARI, Bangladesh)
Polymer-symbiont-chemical seed-coating/treatment for sustainable agriculture in the prairies (U of S, Canada)

Additional links

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/M-Nazrul-Islam-2

Key publications

1. Naturally Occurring Fusarium Species and Mycotoxins in Oat Grains from Manitoba, Canada

DOI: 10.3390/toxins13090670

2. Control of Plant Viral Diseases by CRISPR/Cas9: Resistance Mechanisms, Strategies and Challenges in Food

DOI: 10.3390/plants10071264

3. Responses of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities to soil core transplantation across Saskatchewan prairie climatic regions Canadian Journal of Soil Science

DOI: 10.1139/cjss-2019-0053

4. Transgenerational role of seed mycobiome – an endosymbiotic fungal composition as a prerequisite to stress resilience and adaptive phenotypes in TriticumScientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54328-2

5. Survival of a commercial AM fungal inoculant and its impact on indigenous AM fungal communities in field soi

DOI:10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.103979

6. MN Islam et al. (2007) Influence of temperature and packing materials on shelf-life of mass cultured Trichoderma at storage condition. International Journal of Sustainable Crop Production 2: 01-03.
7. MN Islam et al. (2005) Integration of biological and chemical control of seedling mortality of wheat caused by Sclerotium rolfsii. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research 30: 329-39.
8. MN Islam et al. (2005) In-vitro evaluation of Trichoderma, fungicides, and plant extracts against Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotium rolfsii of peanut. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research 30: 467-479.
9. MN Islam et al. (2004) Evaluation of some organic amendments colonized with Trichoderma harzianum against Sclerotium rolfsii and Rhizoctonia solani. Bangladesh Journal of Plant Pathology 18: 55-60
10. MN Islam et al. (2004) Evaluation of nine organic substrates for mass culture of Trichoderma harzianum in organic farms. Bangladesh Journal of Plant Pathology 18: 43-48.

SELECTED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

MN Islam and X. Wang (2021) Fungicide Sensitivity Towards the Predominant Pathogen Species of Fusarium Head Blight in Cereals from Manitoba, Western Canada, 2021 NFHB Forum. ttps://scabusa.org/forum21
MN Islam et al. (2021) Fusarium species, chemotypes and mycotoxins in oat grains from Manitoba, Canada (2016 to 2018) - The impact of geographical location and crop rotation. Poster presentation (virtual), European Fusarium Seminar 15, May 31- June 1, 2021, Ghent, Belgium. https://mytox.be/conferences/
MN Islam et al. (2021) Levels of mycotoxins in barley grains as infected by Fusarium head blight species in Manitoba, Canada from 2017 to 2020. Oral presentation (virtual), Tri-society conference with the Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS), the Canadian Society of Agronomy (CSA) and the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science (CSHS), July 5-9, 2021, Canada. https://phytopath.ca/meetings/tri-society-virtual-conference/
MN Islam et al. (2019) Do commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculants impact indigenous AMF communities in agricultural soils? In the proceedings of the Rhizosphere 5, TCU Place, Saskatoon, Canada, July 7-11, 2019 (poster presentation). https://www.rhizo5.org/home/index.html
MN Islam et al. (2017) Response of soybean to microbial inoculants under abiotic and biotic stressed conditions. In the proceedings of 2nd International Symposium on Innovations in Plant & Food Sciences, September 8-10, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada (poster presentation).
MN Islam et al. (2014) Impact of a commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculant, Rhizophagus irregularis on structure, composition, & diversity of native AM fungal communities using 18S rRNA Mi-Seq Illumina platform under different agro-ecological zones of Saskatchewan prairie. In the Proceedings of International Union of Microbiological Societies Congresses, 27 July-1 August, Montreal, Canada (poster presentation).
MN Islam et al. (2013) Impact of inoculation with Rhizophagus irregularis on colonization & phosphorus uptake by pea affected by soil & climate. In the Proceedings of Canadian Soil Science Society Conference, 22-24 July, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (poster presentation).
MN Islam and D Guest (2007) The effect of inoculation methods on developmental stages of Plasmodiophora brassicae causing clubroot of broccoli. In the Proceedings of Microbes, Infection & Host Defense: Showcase Symposium, 10-12 November, University of Sydney, Australia (poster presentation).
MN Islam et al. (2007) Comparative effectiveness of Trichoderma colonized organic wastes in controlling foot and root rot (Sclerotium rolfsii) disease of wheat. In the proceedings of the 8th African Crop Science Conference, El-Minia, Egypt (oral presentation pp. 2079).