On March 11, at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies of the MSE AR, the preliminary discussion of the dissertation submitted by Turana Yashar Isgandarova for the PhD degree in biology in the specialty 2415.01 – Molecular Biology, on the topic 'Investigation of the antioxidant system, ultrastructural characteristics, and expression of certain genes in wheat during natural and drought-induced senescence of the flag leaf,' was held. The scientific supervisor of the dissertation is the General Director of the IMBB, Academician Irada Huseynova. The official reviewers of the dissertation are Director of the Scientific Research Institute of Plant Protection and Technical Plants of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Corresponding Member of ANAS, Ibrahim Jafarov, and the researcher at the Montpellier Institute of Plant Sciences, PhD Nurealam Siddiqui. The applicant explained the main provisions of the dissertation, providing detailed information on the relevance, objectives, and obtained results of the study. The speaker noted that theoretical and practical knowledge about the senescence process is currently limited to model plants and that leaf senescence's molecular and biochemical processes are likely to be conserved across different plant species. The study of these processes in a nutritionally important and genetically complex crop like wheat will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying senescence in all cereal crops. The transcriptome analysis of genes associated with the senescence process will contribute to the regulation of the genetic regulatory network. The results obtained in the dissertation identify targets for manipulating the senescence process, and delaying early senescence under water scarcity conditions will increase productivity.

Extensive discussions were held regarding the dissertation. The applicant answered the questions and shared her response to the reviews and suggestions. At the end of the meeting, a decision was made to advance the dissertation to the next stage of defense.