Abu Dhabi researchers develop ‘artificial soil’ to grow crops locally – The National

Abu Dhabi researchers develop ‘artificial soil’ to grow crops locally – The National

Abu Dhabi researchers develop 'artificial soil' to grow crops locally. The developed version resembles real soil found in countries like Thailand and Ukraine. Researchers in Abu Dhabi have developed "artificial soil" in the lab that is similar to the real one needed to produce crops.. "The soil is tailored to any specific texture and porosity to emulate some of the well-known fertile soils," said Dr Alkhazraji, an associate professor at the university.. A patent for the discovery has been registered by the university.. "The artificial soil developed by our faculty reflects our commitment to focus on research that remains relevant to the region and drive innovation in areas that benefit not only the UAE and the region but the entire world," said Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, executive vice-president of the university.. The artificial soil is expected to help boost agricultural produce in the country, which supports the National Food Security Strategy.. Farmers in the UAE face challenging environmental conditions, which includes scarcity of water, saline soil, high production costs, pests and post-harvest losses, said the university in a press statement..