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About the author
M. L. Choudhary, PhD, is currently vice chancellor of Bihar Agricultural University in Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India. He received a master's degree in horticulture from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Utter Pradash, India, and his PhD in the USA. The government of India deputed him for an advanced study on Hi-Tech Horticulture and Precision Farming in Israel and Chile. In a career spanning 30 years, he has occupied several executive positions, including horticulture commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture, India; chairman, Coconut Development Board, Kochi (Kerala); Ministry of Agriculture, India; national project director, FAO; visiting scientist at Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA; head of the Department of Ornamental Crops, IIHR, Bangalore; and head of the Division in Floriculture at IARI, New Delhi. As horticulture commissioner of the Ministry of Agriculture, India, he conceived, conceptualized, and implemented flagship programs such as the National Horticulture Mission and the National Bamboo Mission and Micro-irrigation. Apart from his professional career, he was also chairman and member secretary of various committees constituted by the government of India as well as state governments. He has guided 18 PhD students and 21 MSc students in the field of horticulture and has published 124 book chapters, 19 books, and 109 research papers of national and international repute. Dr. Choudhary has represented India at various international forums in the capacity of chairman and member. He was also the chairman of the Codex Committee of the Scientific Committee for Organic Standard of Ministry of Commerce. He has been conferred with 15 awards from various scientific and nonscientific organizations and government committees for his outstanding contribution in the field of horticulture/floriculture. He has also been awarded the Fellowship of Horticultural Society of India. Dr. Choudhary in his 30 years of academic, research, and administrative ca
