Prof. Zaki Anwar Siddiqui is a distinguished plant pathologist in the Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh, and a Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), India. With an academic and research career spanning more than 35 years, he is  recognized for his pioneering contributions to the biology and management of plant-parasitic nematodes and their complex interactions with fungal and bacterial pathogens. His work has substantially advanced eco-friendly and sustainable biological control strategies, deepening scientific understanding of plant–microbe–nematode interactions and contributing meaningfully to improved agricultural productivity, soil health, and environmental sustainability.

Prof. Siddiqui joined Aligarh Muslim University as a Pre-University student in 1978 and completed his Pre-University, B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc., and M.Phil. degrees from AMU, Aligarh. He was awarded his Ph.D. from AMU, with his doctoral research entitled “Studies on the effect of co-inhabitation of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood and Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid on Cicer arietinum L.”
His Ph.D. work laid a strong foundation for his lifelong research focus on disease complexes involving plant-parasitic nematodes and fungal pathogens, particularly in leguminous crops.

He joined the faculty of AMU in 1996 and rose to the rank of Professor in 2012. His international academic exposure includes serving as a Visiting Professor at Kyoto University, Japan (2007–2008), and delivering invited lectures across Asia, Europe, Australia, and Latin America.

Prof. Siddiqui has an outstanding research record, with over 167 publications, including more than 135 papers in international peer-reviewed journals, 14 book chapters, and two edited books published by Springer. His research has been supported by major competitive grants from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the University Grants Commission (UGC), India.

His work has provided seminal insights into nematode–fungal–bacterial disease complexes affecting economically important crops such as pigeon pea, chickpea, brinjal, pea, carrot, and beetroot. He has demonstrated how nematode infestation exacerbates disease severity and yield losses, and he has developed integrated disease management strategies employing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, antagonistic fungi, organic manures, and plant-based amendments. His isolation of effective biocontrol strains (Pa324, B18, B615, Pf605, Pf736, and B739) and his identification of Rhizophagus irregularis as a highly effective AM fungal species constitute significant contributions to sustainable plant disease management.

In recent years, Prof. Siddiqui has also demonstrated innovative management strategies using nanoparticles, including Bi₂O₃, CeO₂, SiO₂, ZnO, TiO₂, Ag₂O, MnO₂, WO₃, and ZrO₂, highlighting their potential role in integrated plant disease control.