Qualifications:

1.      B.Sc. 1988. Chem. Micorbio. Zoology, D.J. Science College Karachi
2.      M.Sc.1991 Genetics, University of Karachi, Karachi.
3.      Ph.D. 2002 Genetics, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines/University of Philippines Los Banos
4.      Post Doc (Gene Isolation and Mapping) University of California, Davis, USA

Research interests:

1.      Incharge of DNA Testing Lab for the identification of Basmati variety and percentage of adulteration of non-Basmati rice           using        Genetic Analyzer. This service is being provided to Basmati Exporters of Pakistan.
2.      Molecular marker facilitated pyramiding of bacterial blight resistance genes in Super Basmati rice
3.      Identification of grain quality related genes and its variants in Basmati rice through TILLING approach.
4.      DNA Fingerprinting of Basmati Rice Varieties and Mapping of Gene(s) for Cooked Kernel Elongation
5.      Identification and mapping of bacterial blight resistance gene(s) in Pakistan
6.      Genetic diversity assessment of Pakistan Basmati landraces and Basmati breeding lines using DNA based SSR and RAPD           analysis
7.      Mapping and Isolation of salt and drought tolerance genes in rice • Interspecific crosses in rice for the transfer of abiotic           resistance genes using molecular markers.

Research Publications:

1. Zafar K., Khan M. Z., Amin I., Mukhtar Z., Yasmin S., Arif M., Ejaz K and S. Mansoor. 2020. Precise CRISPR-Cas9 mediated genome editing in Super Basmati rice for resistance against bacterial blight by targeting the major susceptibility gene. Front. Plant Sci. 11:575:575. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00575
2. R Hassan, W M.Qandeel., S Shokat, MA Rehman-Arif, R Tariq, M Arif, AArif. 2020. Estimation of genomic diversity using sequence related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers in a mini core collection of wheat germplasm from Pakistan. Cereal Research Communications, 48: 33-40
3. Song JM, Arif M, M Zhang, SH Sze, HB Zhang. 2019. Phenotypic and molecular dissection of grain quality using the USDA rice mini-core collection. Food Chem., 284:312-322. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.01.009.
4. Maria Rasul, Sumera Yasmin, M Zubair, N Mahreen, ZI Sajjid, M Arif (2019). Phosphate solubilizers as antagonists for bacterial leaf blight with improved rice growth in phosphorus deficit soil. Biological Control: 136. 103997. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2019.95.016
5. Sabar M, G Shabir, SM Shah, K Aslam, SA Naveed, M Arif. 2019. Identification and mapping of QTLs associated with drought tolerance traits in rice by a cross between Super Basmati and IR55419-04. Breed Sci., 69(1):169–178. doi:10.1270/jsbbs.18068.
6. Shereen A., MA Khanzada, MA Wahid Baloch, Asma, MU Shirazi, MA Khan and M Arif. 2019. Effects of PEG induced water stress on growth and physiological responses of rice genotypes at seedling stage. Pak. J. Bot., 51(6): 2013-2021.
7. Aslam K., G Shabir, M Shahid, M Sabar, SA Naveed, SM Shah, AR Khan and M Arif, 2019. Comparative analysis of genomic variation and population structure of rice (Oryza sativa). Intl. J. Agric. Biol., 21: 1129?1136.
8. Tariq R, J Ali and M Arif. 2019. Morphological Screening and SalTol Region Based SSR Markers Analysis of Rice (Oryza sativa) Genotypes for Salinity Tolerance at Seedling Stage. Int J Agr and Biology 21(1): 25-33.
9. Wattoo JI, S Liaqat, H Mubeen, M Ashfaq, MN Shahid, A Farooq, M Sajjad and M Arif. 2019. Genetic mapping of grain nutritional profile in rice using basmati derived segregating population revealed by SSRs. Intl. J. Agric. Biol., 21: 929–935
10. Zaka A, G Grande, T Coronejo, IL Quibod, CW Chen, SJ Chang, B Szurek, M Arif, C VeraCruz and R Olivia. 2018. Natural variations in the promoter of OsSWEET 13 and OsSWEET14 expand the range of resistance against Xanthomonasoryzaepv .oryzae. PLoSONE 13(9): e0203711. https:// doi.org/10.1371 /journal.pone.020371 1.
11. Ali J, UM Aslam, R Tariq, V Murugaiyan, PS Schnable, D Li, CM Marfori -Nazarea, JE Hernandez, M Arif, J Xu and Z Li (2018). Exploiting the Genomic Diversity of Rice (Oryza sativa L.): SNP-Typing in 11 Early-Backcross Introgression-Breeding Populations. Front. Plant Sci. 9:849. doi:10.3389/fpls.2018.00849.
12. Aisha Shereen, AChacher, M Arif, S Mumtaz, MU. Shirazi, and MA. Khan. 2017. Water deficit induced physiological and yield responses in Oryza sativa L. Pak. J. Bot., (49SI): 1-6.
13. Ghulam Shabbir, Kashif Aslam, Abdul Rehman Khan, Muhammad Shahid, HamodManzoor, Sibghat Noreen, MueenAlam Khan, Muhammad Babar, Muhammad Sabar, Shahid Masood Shah, Muhammad Arif. 2017. Rice molecular markers and genetic mapping: Current status and prospects. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 16(9):1879-1891. DOI: 10.1016/S2095- 3119(16)61591-5
14. Sumera Yasmin, AbhaZaka, M. Awais Zahid, Asma Imran, SumairaYousaf, G. Rasul, M. Arif and M. Sajjad Mirza (2016). Plant growth promotion and suppression of bacterial leaf blight in rice by inoculated bacteria. PLOS one 11(8) (IF 3) (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0160688.PDF)
15. Arif M, R Waheed, QH Muqaddasi, Z Ahmed, M Khalid, SA Naveed, M Shahzad and J Xu. 2016. Use of Bulk Segregant Analysis for Varietal Identification and Genetic Diversity Estimation in Pakistani Basmati and Non-Basmati Rice Cultivars through Molecular Markers. Adv Crop Sci Tech 4:227. doi:10.4172/2329-8863.1000227
16. Yasmin S, A Zaka, A,Imran MA Zahid, S,Yousaf, G Rasul, M Arif and MS Mirza. 2016. Plant Growth Promotion and suppression of Bacterial Leaf Blight in Rice by Inoculated Bacteria. PLoS ONE 11(8): e0160688. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0160688
17. Wattoo, JI., MS Iqbal, M Arif, Z Saleem, MN Shahid and M Iqbal, 2015. Homology modeling, functional annotation and comparative genome analysis of GBSS enzyme in rice and maize genomes. Int. J. Agric. Biol., 17: 1061?1065.
18. Shahid M. Shah, Ghulam Shabir, Kashif Aslam, MuhamamdSabar and Muhammad Arif. 2015. Identification of SSR markers to find adulteration in elite basmati rice varieties. Environment and Plant Systems, 1: 04-15
19. Shahid Masood Shah, Kashif Aslam, Ghulam Shabir, Abdul Rehman Khan, Bilal HaiderAbbasi, Zabta Khan Shinwari and Muhammad Arif. 2015. Population structure and diversity of the AA genome of rice based on simple sequence repeats variation in organelle genome. Pak. J. Bot., 47(5): 1773-1782.
20. Shah, S. M., M. Arif, K. Aslam, G. Shabir and M. Thomson. 2015. Genetic diversity analysis of Pakistan rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm using multiplexed single nucleotide polymorphism markers. Genet.Resour Crop Evol., 1-14. DOI: 10.1007/s10722-015-0304-9.
21. Kashif Aslam and Muhammad Arif. 2014. SSR analysis of chromosome 3 and 7 of rice (Oryza sativa L.) associated with grain length. Pak. J. Bot., 46(4):1363-1372.
22. Sabar, M. and M. Arif, 2014. Phenotypic response of rice (Oryza sativa) genotypes to variable moisture stress regimes. Int. J. Agric.Biol., 16: 32–40.