On January 9, the defense of the dissertation "Study of the morphophysiological and biochemical properties of the sugar beet plant under the influence of high concentrations of salt" submitted by Ilaha Hajiyeva for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology in the specialty of Plant Physiology-2411.02 was held at the ED 1.25 Dissertation Council operating at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies MSR AR. The scientific supervisor of the work was Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Honored Scientist, the late Neymet Gasimov. The scientific secretary of the Dissertation Council, Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, Samra Mirzayeva familiarized the members of the council with the information in the applicant's personal file and the floor was given to the applicant. The applicant noted that the study of biochemical, biometric, and morphophysiological changes occurring during salt stress in the sugar beet plant, which is of exceptional importance for our country and does not lag behind cereals in terms of its usability and economic efficiency, and the determination of the practical application areas of the obtained results are the basis of the dissertation work. Based on the information obtained in the work, a database can be formed that reflects the information about the introduced varieties of sugar beet in our country and the condition of the cultivated fields in different regions and the level of productivity.

Official opponents - Correspondent Member of ANAS, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Ibrahim Azizov, Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, Associate Professor Aladdin Gadimov, Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, Associate Professor Fakhraddin Agayev read their opinion on the dissertation work and noted that the research work was complete and had scientific innovation. They said that the dissertation work fully met the requirements set for doctoral dissertations of the Supreme Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and that the applicant deserved to receive a doctoral degree in biology in the specialty of Plant Physiology.

Correspondent members of ANAS Novruz Guliyev, Ilham Shahmuradov, Doctors of Biological Sciences Ahad Nabiyev, Safter Suleymanov, Yashar Feyziyev, Shahniyar Bayramov and others took part in the discussions. There was a wide exchange of views on the topic. Proposals and recommendations were made. The applicant answered many questions of the council members and expressed her attitude to the opponents' recommendations and comments.

After the applicant’s final words, a vote was held. Based on the results of the voting, a decision was made to submit a proposal to the Supreme Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to award Ilaha Hajiyeva the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology.