On June 25, at the ED 1.25 Dissertation Council operating under the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, Ph.D. Atabey Jahangirov defended his dissertation on "Morphophysiological bases of winter soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) selection under rainfed conditions of Mountainous Shirvan" to receive the degree of Doctor of Sciences in Biology. The dissertation work was carried out at the Department of Plant Physiology of the Research Institute of Crop Husbandry and the Gobustan Regional Experimental Station. Academician Irada Huseynova was the Scientific Supervisor of the work. The applicant gave detailed information about the relevance of the topic, the goal of the dissertation work, the scientific novelty of the work, and the results obtained. Ph.D. Atabey Jahangirov noted that for the first time, the phenological and morphophysiological characteristics, yield, drought tolerance and sensitivity, yield stability, plasticity, and adaptability of winter bread wheat depending on the water supply conditions have been comprehensively studied and traits identified can be applied in the selection work. By applying the obtained results in the selection, the winter bread wheat varieties "Lyagatli 80", "Leader", "Jubilee 90", "Baba 75", "Champion", and "Gülüstan 100" were created and regionalized for mountainous and foothill regions that are not supplied with stable moisture.

The official opponents-Ibrahim Azizov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Correspondent Member of ANAS, Vilayat Abdiyev, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Tatiana Savchenko, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor, and Hamlet Sadigov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor read their opinion on the dissertation. They said that the research work was completed, fully meets the requirements for doctoral dissertations of the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and that the applicant deserves to receive the degree of Doctor of Biological Sciences in the specialty "Plant Physiology".

Novruz Guliyev, correspondent member of ANAS, doctors of biological sciences  Ahad Nabiyev, Suleyman Allahverdiyev, Yashar Feyziyev, Shahniyar Bayramov, director of the Research Institute of Crop Husbandry Javanshir Talai and others participated in the discussions. They noted the relevance and scientific-practical importance of the dissertation work.

Later, there was a wide exchange of ideas about the dissertation, suggestions and recommendations were voiced. The applicant answered the questions of the council members and expressed his attitude toward the recommendations and comments of the opponents.

After hearing the applicant’s final words, a vote was held. According to the results of the voting, it was decided to apply to the Supreme Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to award the degree of Doctor of Biological Sciences to Atabey Jahangirov.