I earned my Bachelor of Science (BSc) from the Faculty of Agriculture, specializing in the plant protection department, at Salahaddin University in Erbil, Iraq, in July 2004. Following this, I pursued a Master of Science (MSc) in Plant Pathology from the same institution, completing my degree in January 2008. Subsequently, I served as a lecturer at the Agriculture College of Salahaddin University for four years.
In May 2016, I attained my Ph.D. from the Faculty of Agriculture, specializing in the plant protection department, at the esteemed University Putra Malaysia (UPM). Throughout my academic journey, I have contributed significantly to research and innovation. I have authored 32 journal articles, have patents, and been honored with 2 gold medals and one bronze medal for my outstanding contributions. Additionally, I have actively participated in various research projects, seminar proceedings, and workshops, further enriching my experience and expertise in the field.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Agricultural and Biological Sciences, General Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Plant Science
30
Scopus Publications
619
Scholar Citations
12
Scholar h-index
17
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Application of Artificial Intelligence in Food Science and Nutrition: Challenges and Future Perspectives Yaseen Galali, Pary Hadi, Arkan Mohammed Hassan, Holem Hashm Balaky, Tavga Sulaiman Rashid, Bashdar Abuzed Sadee, Tanya Salam Salih, Hamed Hassanzadeh Efood, 2026 The Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) advent has proclaimed unparalleled knowledge transformation across several sectors, including food science and nutrition. This advancement can aid in a deeper understanding of the insights of both fields and their subfields. A systematic search was conducted across literature resources in many databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, according to PRISMA guidelines. The possible eligible study data were retrieved to assess eligibility and inclusion criteria. This research comprehensively explores the use AI applications in food science, such as the food industry and processing, food safety and packaging, and nutrition, including food and nutrient intake, supplements, clinical nutrition, gut microbiota, and trace elements intake. AI applications can be very helpful in addressing various issues, developing novel techniques in food production, food safety, and quality, and aiding in planning nutrition and nutrient intake for better health with high accuracy and precision. Despite these advancements in the application of AI and ML in both food science and nutrition, more improvement is needed for more efficient, precise, and accurate application in some fields.
Enhancing Wheat Seed Germination and Protection Against Fungal Seed-Borne Pathogens With Beneficial Microorganisms Tavga Sulaiman Rashid, Hayman Kakakhan Awla Journal of Phytopathology, 2026 The role of microorganisms with beneficial effects in enhancing wheat seed germination, as well as in checking seed‐borne fungal pathogens, was evaluated. Pathogens ( Fusarium oxysporum , Fusarium solani , Zymoseptoria tritici , Phoma sp. and Alternaria alternata ) were isolated and molecularly identified. Beneficial isolates of Bacillus subtilis , Pseudomonas fluorescens , Pseudomonas putida , Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus flavus were screened for growth promotion. Inoculation with A. flavus maximally promoted the elongation of roots (17.07 cm) and shoots (11.2 cm) compared to the control. Among the bacterial isolates, P. fluorescens B6 exhibited the most reaction, with root and shoot lengths of 14.09 and 15.49 cm, respectively. Co‐inoculation of P. fluorescens B6 and A. flavus in pots recorded the highest shoot height (81.78 cm), root length (58 cm), biomass and grain weight increase, along with reduced pathogen infection. These findings demonstrate the promising combined application of fungal–bacterial bioinoculants as an eco‐friendly strategy to improve wheat growth, vigour and overall plant health.
Seed Treatment With Pseudomonas fluorescens and Aspergillus flavus Enhances Rice Growth and Suppresses Bacterial Blight Caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Hayman Kakakhan Awla, Sirwa Anwar Qadir, Tavga Sulaiman Rashid Journal of Phytopathology, 2025 The bioinoculants Pseudomonas fluorescens and Aspergillus flavus were assessed for their roles in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae suppression and enhancement of rice growth, yield and disease resistance. The disk diffusion method was used to determine the antibacterial activity of crude culture filtrates of A. flavus and P. fluorescens against X. oryzae , whereby the zones of inhibition reached 36.7 and 32.0 mm after 48 h, respectively. P. fluorescens and A. flavus treated rice seeds exhibited significantly enhanced germination and growth promotion. Combined application of P. fluorescens and A. flavus demonstrated significantly higher values in seed germination, seedling vigour, root length and shoot height. The combined treatment's positive effects were similarly verified in pot experiments through increased plant growth and yield and notably reduced bacterial leaf blight incidence. In addition, A. flavus alone exhibited plant growth promotion. These findings highlight the potential of P. fluorescens and A. flavus as feasible alternatives to chemical fertilisers and pesticides, offering an environmentally friendly strategy for improving crop productivity and resilience to unfavourable conditions.
Evaluating the Antifungal Efficacy of Cinnamon Oil for Controlling Penicillium digitatum and Enhancing Post-Harvest Orange fruit Preservation Marwa Tahsin MuhammedSharif, Tavga Sulaiman Rashid Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 2025 Penicillium digitatum is one of the major pathogens for green mold rot in citruses and is a serious threat for postharvest disease control. P. digitatum was isolated from the infected oranges, and pathogenicity tests were conducted. The most virulent isolate was then identified by molecular analysis and confirmed 100% is P. digitatum. The in vitro efficacy of cinnamon oil as a potential antifungal agent was studied using well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration assay. The findings confirmed that higher concentration (5%) had a significant inhibition 90% impact on fungal growth. The GC-MS analysis showed 29 compounds, of which six major compounds were present in the highest percentages: 5H-1-Pyrindine-3-carbonitrile, 2-bromo-6,7-dihydro- (24.52%), Tolmetin (13.9%), and Palmitic acid (8.82%), 6-Acetyl-6-indolo(2,3-b)quinoxaline (7.75%), 1-Methyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-3-ylamine (24.25%), 2,5-Ethano-2H-azocino[4,3-b]indole (7.65%). For the in vivo experiment, orange fruits were immersed in 1% cinnamon oil to assess its efficacy in extending shelf life. Shelf life and infection reduction rate were observed for 22 days, which showed that cinnamon oil was effective in resisting fungal infections while ensuring fruit quality. These results indicate that cinnamon oil is a natural and eco-friendly substitute for chemical fungicides in plant disease management and food preservation.
Efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum as a Natural Biocontrol and Growth-Promoting Agent Against Selected Tomato Fungal Pathogens Tavga Sulaiman Rashid Journal of Phytopathology, 2025 Tomato production faces serious pressure from fungal pathogens, which reduce yield and quality. Biological control could be an approach to minimise the impact of some pathogens by using antagonistic fungi such as Trichoderma species. Trichoderma harzianum has been used widely as a biocontrol agent due to its antagonistic properties against different plant pathogens and its ability to promote plant growth. The present study deals with the efficacy of T. harzianum, isolated from the tomato rhizosphere, in controlling selected fungal pathogens of tomatoes, including Fusarium solani, F. acuminatum, Rhizoctonia solani and Phoma destructiva based on in vitro and in vivo assays. The results showed that T. harzianum inhibited the growth of the above‐mentioned pathogens by 88.0% to 100% in dual culture assays after 5–7 days. Tomato plants treated with T. harzianum demonstrated better root and shoot growth compared to untreated controls. In greenhouse tests, maximum disease reductions were recorded in tomato plants treated with T. harzianum and challenged with F. acuminatum (92.4%), P. destructiva (86.6%), R. solani (74.38%) and F. solani (72.76%) in comparison to non‐treated. T. harzianum also showed a higher percent disease reduction compared to chemical fungicides. These findings suggest that T. harzianum could be used effectively in integrated pest management practices in fresh tomato cultivation.
Antifungal Activity of Selected Medicinal Plants Against Grey Mold Disease and Extension of Strawberry Shelf Life Tavga Sulaiman Rashid, Brwa Azad Aziz Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 2025 Botrytis cinerea is the causal agent of grey mold disease in many plant species and presents serious losses cost problems globally; hence, it has to be controlled. This research work was aimed at ascertaining how aqueous extracts of selected medicinal plants work against B. cinerea and extend the shelf life of strawberry fruits. For this study, the following plant materials were selected: amethyst garlic, cinnamon, cloves, sumac, ginger and pelargonium plants with the potential to inhibit the growth of the newly isolated and identified B. cinerea (accession number PQ590382) using the well diffusion method. Two concentrations were utilized: 10 and 15 mg/mL. Subsequently, Strawberry fruits were immersed in these extracts for five minutes to assess their effects on shelf life and pathogen protection. Pelargonium and amethyst garlic manifested huge antifungal effects against the growth of B. cinerea. The plant extracts have considerably extended the shelf life of fungal-inhibited strawberries, reduced their spoilage, and maintained quality compared to controls. In another application, 15 mg/mL concentration of effective extracts was sprayed on seedlings of strawberry plants to determine their effect on the incidence and severity of the disease and biocontrol efficacy. Amethyst garlic and pelargonium exhibited a considerable reduction in grey mold incidence and disease severity. The biocontrol efficacy increased to about 85% when both plants were combined. These results indicate that the extracts of medicinal plants could act as natural and efficient substitutes of synthetic fungicides for grey mold management and the extension of strawberry postharvest life.
Application of Artificial Intelligence in Food Science and Nutrition: Challenges and Future Perspectives Y Galali, P Hadi, AM Hassan, HH Balaky, TS Rashid, BA Sadee, TS Salih, ... eFood 7 (3), e70165 , 2026 2026
Enhancing Wheat Seed Germination and Protection Against Fungal Seed‐Borne Pathogens With Beneficial Microorganisms TS Rashid, HK Awla Journal of Phytopathology 174 (2), e70293 , 2026 2026
Biocontrol potential of metabolites from Streptomyces sp., non-toxic Aspergillus fumigatus, and their co-cultures against tomato anthracnose TS Rashid, HK Awla, R Sharifi Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 123, 105067 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Seed Treatment With Pseudomonas fluorescens and Aspergillus flavus Enhances Rice Growth and Suppresses Bacterial Blight Caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae HK Awla, SA Qadir, TS Rashid Journal of Phytopathology 173 (6), e70189 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Evaluating the Antifungal Efficacy of Cinnamon Oil for Controlling Penicillium digitatum and Enhancing Post-Harvest Orange fruit Preservation MT MuhammedSharif, TS Rashid Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 37 (5), 34-45 , 2025 2025
Innovative Biological Control Strategies for Managing Peach Tree Canker Disease caused by Cytospora leucostoma MJ Jameel, MZ Bakir, HK Awla, MH Mustafa, TS Rashid Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 103725 , 2025 2025
Efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum as a Natural Biocontrol and Growth-Promoting Agent Against Selected Tomato Fungal Pathogens TS Rashid Journal of Phytopathology 173 (e70130), 1-8 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Antifungal Activity of Selected Medicinal Plants Against Grey Mold Disease and Extension of Strawberry Shelf Life TS Rashid, BA Aziz Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 37 (1), 51-60 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Quality and yield of potato seed tubers as influenced by plant growth promoting rizobacteria MR Rasul, TS Rashid Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 62, 103440 , 2024 2024
Bioactive constituents in Rhus coriaria l. fruit extract and their antibacterial activity against Xanthomonas vesicatoria TS Rashid, HK Awla European Journal of Plant Pathology 170 (4), 1013-1021 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Recent advances in applications, antimicrobial, cytotoxic activities and their associated mechanism of green silver nanoparticles: A review TS Rashid, Y Galali, HK Awla, SM Sajadi Results in Chemistry 11, 101849 , 2024 2024 Citations: 10
Tomato Seed Treatment and Germination Responses to Selected Plant Extracts T Sulaiman Rashid, K Kazm Mahmud, H Kakakhan Awla, S Anwar Qadir Journal of Crop Health 76 (5), 1137-1146 , 2024 2024 Citations: 6
Investigating the in vivo biocontrol and growth-promoting efficacy of Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas fluorescens against olive knot disease AO Ali, HK Awla, TS Rashid Microbial Pathogenesis 191, 106645 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
A survey, Pathogenicity assay, and Molecular Identification of the Pathogenic Fungi Associated with Pistachio in Anbar Province, Iraq KW Tarad, HM Saleh, TS Rashid Basrah Journal of Agricultural Sciences 36 (2), 320-333 , 2023 2023 Citations: 4
Efficacy of the nanoemulsion formulation of Rhus coriaria extract on selected tomato pathogens under greenhouse condition TS Rashid, HK Awla, K Sijam Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 51, 102785 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
Screening for antibacterial activity in selected medicinal plant extracts against Xanthomonas euvesicatoria MA Salih, TS Rashid Polytechnic Journal 12 (2), 22 , 2023 2023 Citations: 2
Biocontrol activities of olive endophytic bacteria isolates against Pseudomonas savastanoi AO Ali, TS Rashid Polytechnic Journal 12 (2), 12 , 2023 2023 Citations: 4
Formulation, characterization and antimicrobial activity of Rhus coriaria aqueous crude extract TS Rashid, HK Awla, K Sijam Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 45, 102519 , 2022 2022 Citations: 8
Antagonistic activity and plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria isolated from Forest Plant rhizosphere against fusarium Solani on Thuja seedlings B Yasin, OO Ali, TS Rashid Iraqi Journal of Agricultural Sciences 52 (6), 1508-1515 , 2021 2021 Citations: 2
Induction of defence related enzymes and biocontrol efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum in tomato plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani TS Rashid, SA Qadir, HK Awla Acta Agriculturae Slovenica 117 (1), 1-6 , 2021 2021 Citations: 13
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Plant growth-promoting abilities and biocontrol efficacy of Streptomyces sp. UPMRS4 against Pyricularia oryzae HK Awla, J Kadir, R Othman, TS Rashid, S Hamid, MY Wong Biological Control 112, 55-63 , 2017 2017 Citations: 110
Bioactive compounds produced by Streptomyces sp. isolate UPMRS4 and antifungal activity against Pyricularia oryzae HK Awla, J Kadir, R Othman, TS Rashid, MY Wong Am J Plant Sci 7 (07), 1077 , 2016 2016 Citations: 82
Antifungal effects of Rhus coriaria L. fruit extracts against tomato anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum TS Rashid, HK Awla, K Sijam Industrial crops and products 113, 391-397 , 2018 2018 Citations: 56
Pathogenicity assay and molecular identification of fungi and bacteria associated with diseases of tomato in Malaysia TS Rashid, K Sijam, HK Awla, HM Saud, J Kadir American Journal of Plant Sciences 7 (6), 949-957 , 2016 2016 Citations: 51
Bioactive metabolites from tomato endophytic fungi with antibacterial activity against tomato bacterial spot disease TS Rashid Rhizosphere 17, 100292 , 2021 2021 Citations: 37
Phytochemical determination and antibacterial activity of Punica granatum peel extracts against plant pathogenic bacteria AI Khaleel, K Sijam, TS Rashid, KB Ahmad American Journal of Plant Sciences 7 (1), 159 , 2016 2016 Citations: 33
Screening for active compounds in Rhus coriaria L. crude extract that inhibit the growth of Pseudomonas syringae and Ralstonia solanacearum. TS Rashid, K Sijam, J Kadir, HM Saud, HK Awla, D Zulperi, EM Hata Indian Journal of Agricultural Research 50 (1) , 2016 2016 Citations: 31
Occurrence of Anthracnose Fruit Rot Caused by Colletotrichum nymphaeae on Pepper ( Capsicum annuum ) in Malaysia A Nasehi, J Kadir, TS Rashid, HK Awla, E Golkhandan, F Mahmodi Plant Disease 100 (6), 1244-1244 , 2016 2016 Citations: 24
GC-MS Analysis and antibacterial activity of mangosteen leaf extracts against plant pathogenic bacteria QMN Alsultan, K Sijam, TS Rashid, KB Ahmad Am. J. Plant Sci 7 (07), 1013-1020 , 2016 2016 Citations: 21
Biological control of Pyricularia oryzae using antifungal compounds produced by Aspergillus niger AA Idan, K Sijam, J Kadir, TS Rashid, HK Awla, W Alsultan Am. J. Plant Sci 8, 2445-2460 , 2017 2017 Citations: 14
Induction of defence related enzymes and biocontrol efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum in tomato plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani TS Rashid, SA Qadir, HK Awla Acta Agriculturae Slovenica 117 (1), 1-6 , 2021 2021 Citations: 13
Determination of antibacterial compounds of punica Granatum peel extract by tlc direct bio-autography and GCMS analysis AI Khaleel, K Sijam, TS Rashid Biochem. Cell. Arch 18, 379-384 , 2018 2018 Citations: 13
HPLC fractionation: A comparative analysis of anti-fungal compounds from different Streptomyces isolates inhibiting Colletotrichum acutatum HK Awla, TS Rashid Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 27, 101688 , 2020 2020 Citations: 12
Occurrence of Ralstonia solanacearum Race 2 Biovar 1 Associated with Moko Disease of Banana ( Musa paradisiaca cv. Nipah) in Malaysia D Zulperi, K Sijam, ZA Mior Ahmad, Y Awang, T Sulaiman Rashid Journal of phytopathology 162 (10), 697-702 , 2014 2014 Citations: 12
Recent advances in applications, antimicrobial, cytotoxic activities and their associated mechanism of green silver nanoparticles: A review TS Rashid, Y Galali, HK Awla, SM Sajadi Results in Chemistry 11, 101849 , 2024 2024 Citations: 10
Abscisic acid accumulation and physiological indices in responses to drought stress in wheat genotypes SA Qadir, MQ Khursheed, TS Rashid, HK Awla The Iraqi Journal of Agricultural Science 50 (2), 705-712 , 2019 2019 Citations: 10
First report of tomato anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum boninense in Malaysia. TS Rashid, K Sijam, J Kadir, HM Saud, HK Awla, EM Hata 2015 Citations: 10
First report of Xanthomonas gardneri causing bacterial spot of tomato in Malaysia TS Rashid, S Kamaruzaman, E Golkhandan, A Nasehi, HK Awla Plant Dis 100, 854 , 2016 2016 Citations: 9
Formulation, characterization and antimicrobial activity of Rhus coriaria aqueous crude extract TS Rashid, HK Awla, K Sijam Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 45, 102519 , 2022 2022 Citations: 8
Investigating the in vivo biocontrol and growth-promoting efficacy of Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas fluorescens against olive knot disease AO Ali, HK Awla, TS Rashid Microbial Pathogenesis 191, 106645 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7