Center for Desert Agriculture
RESEARCH CENTER AT KAUST DEDICATED TO THE STUDY, ENGINEERING, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS
The global population is projected to reach
10 billion by 2050
How do we ensure a secure, safe, nutritious and sustainable food supply for future generations?
The Center for Desert Agriculture is committed to finding smart and efficient solutions
- to produce high value crops and staples
- to reduce reliance on water, fertilizer, and pesticides
- to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- to increase plant growth potential on marginal lands
- to empower the next generation of Saudi Arabian citizens to be global leaders in sustainable agriculture
RESEARCH THEMES
The CDA has a primary focus on the research theme “field-based cropping systems”, with three CCF project proposals covering important aspects of sustainable agroecosystem agriculture in KSA
RESEARCH GROUPS
Plant Breeding and Genetics Lab
Professor Jesse Poland
Stress Granule Lab
Professor Monika Chodasiewicz
Wing Lab KAUST
Professor Rod Wing
Wulff Lab
Professor Brande Wulff
Photo by Linda Polik
CDA NEWS
12 June, 2022
AI system facilitates plant imaging from the start
An AI-powered imaging system called MutipleXLab provides rapid automated phenotyping of seed germination and root growth that will help select plants that grow well.
25 May, 2022
Faculty in Focus: Monika Chodasiewicz
Interview with CDA featured faculty member, Monika Chodasiewicz: "We need more food, but we also need more reasonable ways to produce food."
09 May, 2022
Genetic options ensure rust resistance is toast
Researchers have identified stem rust resistance in the wild cereal plant Aegilops sharonensis and successfully transferred the resistance gene into bread wheat.