King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

"The vast majority of deserts, especially in Saudi Arabia, have never been explored for agricultural potential," says doctoral student, Abdul Aziz Eida, of KAUST's Desert Agriculture Initiative. "Many people think deserts are sterile and inhospitable to any form of life. But there are many plants able to grow and survive in the harsh conditions found there. We believed that one of the key factors enabling plants to survive in such environments is their association with microbes in the soil."

Eida is part of a team working on the Darwin21 project led by microbiologist Heribert Hirt. The researchers in this team study desert bacteria for their potential to promote plant growth in stressed soils, such as those facing drought, salinity, extreme temperatures or nutrient deficiency.