KAUST Research Conference: FUTURE FOOD SYSTEMS Challenges and Opportunities

KAUST Research Conference:

FUTURE FOOD SYSTEMS

Challenges and Opportunities

The event is organized in partnership with the PlantACT! Initiative

April 13-15, 2026

Auditorium Between B2 and B3

KAUST - Thuwal

Saudi Arabia

Deadline for abstract submission: 31 January 2026

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

We are on a trajectory to reach a temperature increase of 3.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, with catastrophic consequences, as each degree Celsius corresponds to a reduction in crop yields of about 10%, meaning that we would lose a third of food and feed production by 2100. Because agriculture is both a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and a victim of climate change, plant science solutions are at the heart of the problem. However, a global strategy to respond to this challenge is lacking. This is why several members of the scientific community have come together to create the PlantACT! initiative. To consolidate the strategic plan that we recently developed, and to integrate ideas from other disciplines, a conference is organized on the topic of “Future Food Systems” from 13-15 April 2026 at KAUST, Thuwal, KSA. Key topics in ecology of marine and terrestrial systems as well as current and future strategies for sustainable food production will be covered by a number of high profile international speakers. Round tables with local and foreign experts will discuss the challenges and opportunities of developing the food systems of the future.

AGENDA

09:00am - 09:15 am

Welcome and Outline of the conference (M. McCabe, M. Tester, H. Hirt)

Session 1. The global perspective

09:15 am - 09:50 am

Prof Yoshi Wada (KAUST)

09:50 am - 10:25 am

Prof Claudia Ringler (IFPRI, Washington, USA)

The Future of Food Systems: Growing Demands and Declining Resources

Abstract

Abstract:

Food demand has continued to grow in response to population and economic growth and urbanization. But the natural resources underlying our food production systems—including land and water resources and biodiversity—are in dramatic decline. Food system challenges are accelerated by climate change, which reduces agricultural productivity. At the same time, food systems are a key contributor to climate change. This presentation will present key trends and challenges as well as breakthrough interventions within a food systems framework that can improve food security and nutrition in a resource constrained world.

10:25 am - 10:40 am

Safwan Mohamed

EU Agro Climate Policy for Minimizing Agricultural GHG Emissions in EU27 1990 to 2021

Abstract

Abstract:

Agriculture and agro-climate policies related to GHG emissions drive food production and the mitigation process within the EU-27. The main aim of this research is to provide an overview of the agricultural sector within the EU-27, GHG emissions from agriculture (1990–2021), and the dynamic interaction between them through EU policy-relevant drivers. Short- and long-run relationships between agricultural emissions and sectoral drivers are evaluated using panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models with an error-correction specification. GHG trends are assessed using Mann–Kendall and Sen’s slope, land-use dynamics are derived from CORINE land cover (1990–2018), and causality direction is examined using pairwise panel Granger causality. Results show that 20 of 27 EU member states achieved statistically significant reductions in agricultural emissions (p < 0.05), with a strong EU-wide decline (p < 0.0001) and Sen’s slope = −2,190 kt CO₂-eq yr⁻¹. However, agricultural land increased slightly (+0.08% from 1990 to 2018), with expansion of non-irrigated arable land (+2.27 million ha) and pasture (+2.64 million ha). ARDL showed a short-run reduction (−0.07%) but a long-run increase (+0.15%) in GHG emissions linked to agricultural land expansion (EU-wide land coefficients are statistically insignificant). Granger causality analysis identified strong unidirectional relationships from agricultural drivers (land use, value-added agriculture, crop and livestock production, fertilizer use) to emissions, and bidirectional causality between forest area and agricultural land; notably, forest area increased by ~12% over the CORINE period, supporting mitigation via carbon sequestration. The output of this research highlighted the importance of country- and sector-specific agro-climate policies to minimize emissions and increase carbon sequestration to combat climate change.

10:40 am - 11:1o am·

Coffee Break

11:10 am - 11:45 am

Prof Cristina Rulli (Politecnica, Milano, Italy)

Connecting the dots between the water-food nexus and human health

Abstract

Abstract:

Feeding the global population sustainably is a major challenge as growing demand for crop production, driven by population growth, changing diets, biofuels, and energy transitions, places increasing pressure on land and water resources. Global trade and large scale land acquisitions have shifted food production and water use across regions, intensifying environmental burdens,disconnecting consumers from resource impacts, and reshaping the patterns of water dependency through teleconnections between consumers and production areas.

Together, these drivers have intensified pressure on key resources for crop production—land and water—thereby increasing environmental stress. To meet rising food demand, agricultural intensification is often promoted as a solution with lower environmental costs. However, its effects on freshwater availability, rural communities, and social equity are frequently overlooked. Meanwhile, expanding agricultural land also generates significant external impacts beyond biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions, with serious consequences for both human and planetary health.

Sustainable agricultural changes to address dietary needs and human well-being are a major global challenge of our time that must simultaneously address environmental and human health goals. The consumption of unhealthy and environmentally unsustainable diets is a major societal challenge because of its impacts on human health and the environment. Healthy diets are known for their co-benefits of reducing environmental impacts and enabling the same agricultural resources to feed a larger human population. The adoption of micronutrient-rich diets with relatively low pressure on natural resources is an important development target at the intersection between sustainability and public health goals.

The understanding of the coupling between freshwater availability, food security and societal or demographic dynamics is a major task in the analysis of global patterns of water use. Here, in the context of planetary health, we focus on agricultural strategies to sustainably increase the intake of micronutrient-rich food in local diets and consequently reduce the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies while limiting pressure from freshwater depletion and land use change

11:45 am - 12:20 pm

Prof Carole Dalin (UCL London, UK)

Measuring sustainability of global food systems related to climate, water and biodiversity.

Abstract

Abstract:

The talk will cover several studies done at the global scale with high spatial resolution (about 9 by 9km grid cells) to evaluate crop-specific environmental pressures of agricultural production. First, we focus on climate impacts and attribute carbon emissions due to land use transitions (between native or secondary vegetation, pasture, and cropland) to specific crops from 2000 to 2020. Second, we present an MIRO-based study analyzing where international food trade has a positive or negative effect on overall GHG emissions from agriculture. Finally, we build sustainability indicators relating water, fertiliser, land use and GHG emissions from cropland to locally-defined limits based on water stress, eutrophication, climate change and biodiversity loss.

co-authors: Marcellin Guilbert, Belen Benitez, Jasmine Gamblin, Charlotte Janssens

12:20 pm - 13:30 pm

Lunch

Session 2. Terrestrial and Marine Systems

13:30 pm - 14:05 pm

Prof Carlos Duarte (KAUST)

Blue Superfoods to Reconcile Human, Ocean and Planetary Health

Abstract

Abstract:

Failure to achieve sustainable development goals will burden society for generations, as human health may be increasingly compromised from increasing food shortage, pollution and climate change impacts, while we continue to lose biodiversity on land and oceans. Regenerative aquaculture, defined as an aquaculture practice that increases economic, social, cultural and natural capital is an essential underpinning to fast-track our progress toward the goals. Aquaculture should depart from models of intensive industrial animal aquaculture that compromise consumer and ocean health to deliver short-term benefits, reproducing models of animal husbandry on land, to embrace regenerative principles to transition to a renewable paradigm supporting human, ocean and planetary health. This transition requires addressing a number of roadblocks, including scientific, governance, and market challenges that need be overcome to achieve this necessary transition to complete the landmark revolution introduced in human history by the advent of industrial revolution.

14:05 pm - 14:40 pm

Prof Paolo D’Odorico (UC Berkeley, USA)

Tradeoffs in decoupling of economic growth from water consumption

Abstract

Abstract:

The rising demand for water by human societies raises critical questions about sustainable water futures. As human appropriation of water increases, some important ecohydrological processes are disrupted and ecosystem functions are lost. Increasing competition between human uses and environmental needs hampers the development of sustainable water security strategies. Much of humanity’s water use is linked to fulfilling the right to food, prompting questions about how these rights can be balanced with water requirements for economic activities and ecological needs. This seminar explores how economic growth is coupled with human pressure on global water resources and examines a variety of coupling and decoupling mechanisms within the food-energy-water nexus. We assess the biophysical, economic, and social justice limitations to sustainable water use, considering hydrologic constraints, economic growth trends, environmental flows, technological advances, and the effects of globalization.

14:40 pm - 14:55 pm

Al Juboori Haider

Spectral Intelligence for Climate Resilient Agriculture A GeoAI and LIBS Fusion Framework for Sustainable Soil Diagnostics

Abstract

Abstract:

As global temperatures rise and threaten to reduce crop yields significantly by the end of the century, the resilience of future food systems depends critically on the health and management of terrestrial soil resources. However, traditional soil monitoring methods—relying on slow, resource-intensive laboratory testing—are ill-equipped to provide the real-time, scalable data necessary for rapid climate adaptation. This study presents a novel "Earth Intelligence" framework that addresses this gap by fusing Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) with geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) to enable real-time, non-invasive soil diagnostics.

Our methodology integrates high-resolution ground-level elemental analysis from LIBS with the broad spatial coverage of satellite imagery. By employing advanced machine learning and evolutionary computing, the system cleans noise-prone spectral data and fuses it with satellite-derived plant indices to map soil nutrients (N, P, K) and contaminants (heavy metals) with high precision. This multi-resolution approach bridges the scale gap between local soil chemistry and landscape-level terrestrial ecology, offering a powerful tool for precision agriculture. By facilitating precise nutrient management and digital green efforts, this technology allows stakeholders to minimize fertilizer waste, reduce environmental impact, and secure long-term soil productivity—a critical step toward sustainable food production in a changing climate.

14:55 pm - 15:25 pm

Coffee Break

15:25 pm - 16:00 pm

Prof. Susan Chomba (WRI Nairobi, Kenia)

The Role of Agroecology in Transforming Food Systems in Africa

Abstract

Abstract:

Across much of Africa, food systems are under immense pressure to feed the world’s fastest growing population, contribute to countries’ GDPs and be climate and nature positive. This is amidst declining agricultural productivity and a failed green revolution experiment over the past few decades. Yields of staple crops have stagnated or declined relative to other regions, driven largely by poor soil fertility, low investment in irrigation and increasing climate variability. In response, many smallholder farmers have become locked into input-intensive models reliant on synthetic fertilizers and highly hazardous pesticides despite modest returns compared to their investments. These approaches have contributed to serious human health risks for farmers and consumers, ecosystem degradation, growing pest resistance, without resolving underlying structural constraints. At the same time, food loss and food waste ranges between 30-40%. These compounding factors imply food insecurity is on the rise with high levels of child malnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency among women of reproductive age.

This presentation focusses on agroecology as a potential transformative pathway for re-imagining how Africa produces, distributes, and consumes food. Drawing on the HLPE’s 13 principles of agroecology, the IPES-Food framework on diversification, and emerging evidence from African agroecological transitions, we conceptualize agroecology not only as a set of farm-level practices, but as a systemic approach that integrates ecological processes, local knowledge, social equity, and governance reform across food systems. Agroecology strengthens soil health and biodiversity, reduces dependence on hazardous external inputs, enhances climate resilience, and supports diversified production systems that improve dietary quality and nutrition outcomes. It demonstrates how agroecological transitions can simultaneously address productivity, resilience, human health, and livelihoods. It shows that scaling agroecology in Africa requires coordinated action across research, policy, finance, and institutions, shifting from uniform, extractive models toward diversified, regenerative, and nutrition-sensitive food systems capable of delivering sustainable and equitable outcomes for people and planet.

16:00 pm - 16:15 pm

Sarvabek Eltazarov

Future Food Resilience Optimal Precipitation Data to Hedge Crop Yield Risk

Abstract

Abstract:

Index insurance has been introduced as an innovative and potential solution to mitigate several challenges caused by climate change in the agricultural sector. Despite the promising potential of index insurance, dissemination in developing countries is slow due to a lack of reliable weather data, which is essential for the design and operation of index insurance products. The increasing availability of model- and satellite-based data could ease the constraints of data access. However, their accuracy and suitability have to undergo a thorough assessment. Therefore, this study statistically and financially analyzes and compares the risk reduction potential of index insurance products designed employing various in-situ-, model- and satellite-based precipitation products (e.g., CMOPH, CPC, IMERG, GSMaP, MERRA, GLDAS, ERA5, ERA5-Land, PERSIANN, MSWEP, and MERRA2). This study employed county-level spring wheat yield data between 2000 and 2022 from counties in Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. The results showed that in the majority of cases in all countries, the hedging effectiveness of index insurance products designed based on IMERG ERA5-Land are the highest. Moreover, among other data sources, the index insurance products designed using the PERSIANN, GLDAS and FLDAS showed higher risk reduction potential. Overall, this study highlights that satellite- and model-based precipitation products have higher accuracy and potential for index insurance design and operation than in-situ-based precipitation data.

16:15 pm - 16:50 pm

Prof. John Little (Virginia Tech, USA)

Societal Challenges of the Anthropocene – An Evolutionary, System-of-Systems, Convergence Paradigm

Abstract

Abstract:

Evolutionary mechanisms enabled humans to irreversibly transform Earth systems, culminating in the present-day, globally connected, system of Anthropocene systems. Because Anthropocene systems are highly interdependent and dynamically evolving, often with accelerating rates of cultural and technological evolution, the ensuing family of societal challenges (e.g., climate change and impacts, food insecurity, renewable energy, adaptive infrastructure, disasters and pandemics) must be holistically framed and addressed. To catalyze the required societal transformations, an evolutionary, system-of-systems convergence paradigm is needed to coordinate strategic interventions across multiple systems and scales. The new paradigm requires a major transformation in our approach to science and engineering and includes a causally coherent evolutionary framework, with cross-scale, modular and hierarchical conceptual models, agile, extensible and scalable computational frameworks, an associated decision-support system and an educational pedagogy. A new generation of Anthropocene systems integrators is needed to create a meta-discipline that spans all the disciplines associated with the family of interdependent societal challenges of the Anthropocene.

16:50 pm - 17:20 pm

Coffee Break

17:30 pm - 19:00 pm

Round Table 1: Terrestrial Food Systems – Challenges and Opportunities

(Moderator, Yoshi Wada, Claudia Ringler, Carole Dalin, John Little)

19:00 pm

Welcome Dinner and Poster Session 1

Session 3. Food System Challenges

09:00 am - 09:35 am

Prof Fernando Maestre (KAUST)

09:35 am - 10:10 am

Prof Harro Boumeester (Amsterdam Univ., NL)

The chemical communication between plant and microbiome and its contribution to a sustainable agriculture

Abstract

Abstract:

Since over half a century, agriculture has been successful in providing increasing amounts of food to keep up with the growth of the world population. To achieve this, however, it increasingly relies on chemical inputs such as pesticides and synthetic fertilizer. These have a negative impact on soil and human health, as well as the environment. Solutions for this conundrum may be found in the rhizosphere, where plants could benefit more from the cooperation with a plethora of micro-organisms, collectively called the microbiome. Micro-organisms in the plant rhizosphere can potentially protect against pests and pathogens and can aid plants in the uptake of nutrients from the soil. An example of the latter is the symbiosis with Rhizobium spp, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and other microbial species that provide plants with phosphorus, nitrogen and other nutrients. The importance of these relationships for plants is highlighted by the chemical communication that plants have evolved to recruit these microbial partners. Plant species across the plant kingdom, for example, exude strigolactones from their roots – only when exposed to nutrient deficiency - into the rhizosphere to recruit arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. In my presentation, I will discuss how we are studying the role of strigolactones in the plant-microbiome interaction, the discovery of new signaling relationships using omics data integration, and the possibilities to engineer these signaling relationships to promote microbial symbiosis in agricultural crops.

10:10 am - 10:25 am

Anam Mushtaq

Exploring Gene Expression Dynamics in Stylophora pistillata Under Heat Stress and Insights into Marine Ecosystem Resilience

Abstract

Abstract:

Coral reefs, vital components of marine ecosystems and coastal food webs, are increasingly threatened by rising ocean temperatures. Thermal stress is a key driver of coral bleaching and mortality, with direct implications for biodiversity and marine resource sustainability. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying coral resilience, we conducted an RNA-Seq–based transcriptomic analysis of the reef-building coral Stylophora pistillata under controlled temperature treatments simulating ambient and elevated conditions. Differential gene expression analysis revealed marked upregulation of heat shock proteins, oxidative stress response genes, apoptotic regulators, and cellular repair pathways. These findings provide mechanistic insights into coral adaptation to environmental stress, contributing to a deeper understanding of how climate change impacts marine ecosystem stability and future food system sustainability.

10:25 am - 10:55 am

Coffee Break

10:55 am - 11:10 am

Kirti Shekhawat

Microbe-induced coordination of plant iron–sulfur metabolism enhances high-light-stress tolerance of plants

Abstract

Abstract:

Plants are constantly exposed to environmental stresses setting important limits to global food security. At lower latitudes, including countries such as Saudi Arabia, high light stress severely limits agricultural productivity due to photo-oxidative damage, impaired growth, and significant yield loss. As traditional breeding for stress tolerance is slow and resource-intensive, beneficial microbes provide a promising and sustainable alternative. Through exploring plant–microbe partnerships, we demonstrate that Enterobacter sp. SA187 enhances plant resilience to high light stress. SA187 supports the growth of Arabidopsis under high light conditions by limiting reactive oxygen species accumulation and preserving photosynthetic performance. Transcriptome analyses revealed that SA187 activates dynamic changes in plant gene expression, reinforcing iron metabolism and redox regulation, and strengthening the glutathione/glutaredoxin antioxidative system. Genetic evidence showed that this enhanced iron and sulfur metabolic response is coordinated through ethylene signaling. Altogether, our findings highlight an effective microbial strategy that naturally boosts plant tolerance to high light stress, positioning beneficial microbes as a low-cost and sustainable solution for improving crop performance in subtropical and tropical regions.

11:10 am - 11:25 am

Ewis Mohamed

Piriformospora indica as a Low Input Biological Climate Resilience Enabler for Future Food Systems

Abstract

Abstract:

This work synthesizes multi-year experimental evidence demonstrating the role of the cultivable root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica as a biological enabler of stress resilience and yield stability in agricultural systems. Across model plants and horticultural crops including Arabidopsis thaliana, tomato, cucumber, and strawberry, P. indica consistently enhanced plant growth, photosynthetic performance, and yield under both optimal and stress conditions. Under salinity stress, P. indica colonization significantly improved Na⁺/K⁺ homeostasis, resulting in lower Na⁺/K⁺ ratios in roots and shoots and enhanced K⁺ accumulation. In tomato, grown under 200 mM NaCl, fungal colonization increased fruit yield by 22% under non-saline conditions and by up to 65% under saline irrigation, accompanied by higher chlorophyll content and increased CAT and SOD enzymes activity. Similar ionic and physiological adjustments were observed in Arabidopsis, where P. indica enhanced lateral root density, biomass accumulation, and the expression of key ion transport genes (HKT1, KAT1, KAT2), supporting sustained growth under salt stress. In terms of water-deficit conditions in greenhouse cucumber, moderate and severe irrigation reduction decreased yield by up to 47% and 83%, respectively, in non-colonized plants, while yield losses were limited to 28% and 78% in S. indica-colonized plants. Importantly, fungal symbiosis improved water-use efficiency from 43 to 26 L kg⁻¹ under moderate stress and from 81 to 73 L kg⁻¹ under severe stress by maintaining photosynthetic capacity and chlorophyll metabolism. In biotic stress systems, P. indica reduced root-knot nematode damage in cucumber by significantly lowering gall formation, egg mass production, and juvenile density, leading to clear improvements in plant vigor, photosynthesis, and yield. These effects were associated with the modulation of salicylic acid levels and defense-related genes (PR1, PR3, NPR1). Under low-temperature stress, P. indica enhanced freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis, improving post-thaw survival and recovery through the activation of CBF-dependent cold-response pathways and increased accumulation of protective metabolites. In controlled greenhouse production, including strawberry grown under elevated electrical conductivity (3.0 dS m⁻¹), S. indica significantly increased plant biomass, root length, photosynthetic rate, and early yield while maintaining fruit quality attributes such as total soluble solids, vitamin C, and anthocyanins.

These results position P. indica as a scalable, low-input biological tool for enhancing yield stability and stress resilience in climate-resilient food systems.

11:25 am - 12:00 pm

Prof Caroline Gutjahr (MPI Golm, Germany)

Harnessing arbuscular mycorrhiza to enhance plant resilience

12:05 pm - 13:30 pm

Lunch Break

Session 4. Food System and Science Solutions

13:30 pm - 14:05 pm

Prof Jan de Vries (Goettingen Univ., Germany)

The deep evolutionary origins of land plant’s unique stress

response networks

Abstract

Abstract:

The colonization of land by plants was a singular evolutionary event that transformed Earth’s biosphere. Land plants originated from streptophyte algae; the early land pioneers faced fluctuating stresses such as rapid changes in light and temperature—and continue to face them to this day. With the availability of genomes from algae closely related to land plants, insights into the genetic basis of stress responses are emerging, though the functional roles of these components remain unclear. By combining environmental gradient and time-course stress experiments with transcriptomic, metabolite, and proteomic analyses across diverse streptophytes, we identified conserved gene networks that reveal ancient convergence in stress signaling. These shared genetic hubs highlight strategies for stress adaptation that arose more than 600 million years ago, long before plants first colonized land. I will present current perspectives on the evolutionary origins of embryophyte stress-response networks and how they enabled the successful establishment of plants on terra firma.

14:05 pm -14:40 pm

Prof Jonathan Jones (Sainsbury Labs, UK)

Investigation and exploitation of plant immune receptor diversity

14:40 pm - 14:55 pm

Caecilia Kunz

Learning from plant terrestrialization UVB responses in the closest algal relatives of land plants

Abstract

Abstract:

In the anthropocene, climate crisis poses a major challenge to our plants. Yet, the evolutionary history of all land plants (embryophytes) started with overcoming a prime challenge: plant terrestrialization. The transition of plants to a terrestrial habitat included the need to rapidly adapt to an array of abiotic stressors. One of them is UV-B irradiation, which is filtered out to a large extent in the previously inhabited aquatic environments. We exposed one of the nascent model systems for the closest algal relatives to land plants, Mesotaenium endlicherianum, to UV-B irradiance to elucidate its response to this major abiotic stressor. Integrating metabolomics, transcriptomics and physiological assessment, we comprehensively characterized the response of Mesotaenium to UV-B. In subsequent morphological analyses we found that UV-B exposure induces the production of vacuoles containing UV absorbing compounds. To examine the composition of the metabolic response to UV-B, untargeted metabolite fingerprinting analysis was performed using an UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS system and we estbalished a comprehensive metabolite catalogue for this unique system. We identified UV-B-induced metabolites such as phenolic compounds in profiling analyses. Extant land plants produce protective phenolics sourced from the shikimate and downstream phenylpropanoid pathway to protect themselves against irradiation-induced damage. This latter key stress response pathway leads to the production of lignin in vascular plants. Our transcriptomic analyses reveal that homologs of major stress-response signaling circuits known from model and crop plants were upregulated alongside UV-B response mechanisms such as the UV-B photoreceptor UVR8 and genes coding for homologs of enzymes involved in specialized metabolic routes that include phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Contextualised with data from embryophytes, we infer the toolkit for diverse stress-induced mechanisms that likely constituted the functional core and unexplored divergent routes of the plant terrestrialisation toolkit; understanding ancient toolkits can guide the engineering of novel approaches in crop protection to face the current challenges of climate change.

14:55 pm - 15:25 pm

Coffee Break

15:25 pm - 15:40 pm

Lyuben Zagorchev

Parasitic Plants in a Changing Climate: Response of Cuscuta SPP to Salinity

Abstract

Abstract:

Parasitic plants are a special group of flowering plants that are partially or completely dependent on their hosts and have secondarily switched to a heterotrophic lifestyle. Of the approximately 4,500 known species, several dozen are significant agricultural pests that threaten food security in some parts of the world. Such are the stem holoparasites of the genus Cuscuta, some of which are cosmopolitan in distribution and cause significant losses in the yield of agriculturally important dicotyledonous crops. There are concerns that with climate change, their impact may become even more significant. For example, in recent years in Bulgaria, it has been found that Cuscuta campestris is invading more and more habitats, and its development and flowering period is extending into the winter months. This study tracks the response of Cuscuta spp. at different stages of development to salinization, a major abiotic stressor resulting from climate change and human activity. It has been found that high salt concentrations have a negative effect on germination but do not affect the ability to infect the host. The development of the parasite on representatives of major crop plant families is largely influenced by the salt regime, and this influence can be both negative and positive in different cases. A metabolomic analysis was performed to assess the effect of salinity on the parasite in model hosts—glycophyte (Arabidopsis thaliana) and halophyte (Thellungiela salsugineum)—which showed that the metabolic profile is mainly influenced by the host species and not so much by the salt concentration. At the same time, parasitism can influence the transcriptional profile of the host, affecting its successful adaptation to abiotic stress. All these results suggest that parasitic plants can be significantly affected by abiotic stress factors, which poses an additional threat to agricultural production in a changing climate.

Acknowledgements This study is financed by the European Union-NextGenerationEU, through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria, project No BG-RRP-2.004-0008.

15:40 pm - 15:55 pm

Sabiha Parween

Host genome and bacterial taxa shape the Arabidopsis seed microbiome

Abstract

Abstract:

Sabiha Parween#, Naheed Tabassum#, Kirti Shekhawat, Bruno Gnannt, Waad Alzayed, Rewaa Jalal & Heribert Hirt. EMBO Rep 27, 122–141 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-025-00635-x

Climate change is projected to reduce crop yields dramatically, yet traditional breeding and agronomic approaches alone may not sustain global food security under rising temperature and stress pressures. Emerging evidence suggests that plant microbiomes, especially those associated with seeds, are critical determinants of early plant establishment, stress resilience, and ecological adaptation, making them promising targets for sustainable crop improvement. In this study, we investigated the diversity and drivers of the Arabidopsis thaliana seed microbiome across >200 accessions originating from geographically and edaphically distinct environments. Using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we identified key bacterial taxa including Delftia, Stenotrophomonas and Chryseobacterium that together shape beta diversity across accessions and correlate with local soil conditions and environmental gradients. Distinct microbial community profiles were linked to geographical origin and soil features, highlighting the influence of external environmental factors on seed microbiota assembly. To dissect the genetic basis of host–microbiome interactions, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using host SNP data. These analyses revealed significant associations between host genetic loci and both the abundance of key taxa and predicted microbial functional traits, notably implicating the RNA-binding protein RBP47B as a determinant of seed microbial community structure. Functional validation showed that mutation of RBP47B in Arabidopsis alters the relative abundance of microbial groups and affects plant performance under low pH, high iron conditions, demonstrating a coevolutionary relationship in which the host genome helps recruit and transmit beneficial microbes across generations. Our integrated findings indicate that seed microbiomes are shaped by the interplay of environmental, soil, and host genetic factors, and that manipulation or selection of these communities may enhance plant resilience to climate-related stresses. Leveraging such genotype–microbiome dynamics offers a novel axis for future crop improvement strategies that align with sustainable food production goals under climate change.

15:55 pm - 16:30 pm

Prof Corne Pieterse (Univ. of Utrecht, NL)

The extended plant immune system

Abstract

Abstract:

Corné M.J. Pieterse and the Utrecht Plant-Microbe Interactions team

Plant-Microbe Interactions, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands

Plants have evolved a sophisticated immune system that enables them to recognize and resist attack by a wide range of pathogens. This classical view of plant immunity, built on molecular mechanisms such as pattern recognition and effector-triggered responses, has provided a powerful framework for understanding how plants defend themselves. Yet plants do not act alone: they are embedded in complex microbial communities where beneficial, commensal, and pathogenic microbes continuously interact with one another and with their host. These interactions extend the boundaries of plant immunity beyond the individual organism, integrating microbial allies into a coordinated “extended plant immune system” that operates at the community level. Research in the Plant–Microbe Interactions group at Utrecht University exemplifies this concept. We showed that upon foliar infection with downy mildew, Arabidopsis roots recruit a synergistic microbial consortium that activates induced systemic resistance (ISR) and leaves behind a soil-borne legacy that protects the next plant generation. Root-exuded coumarins emerged as crucial chemical signals in this dialogue. Extending these insights to crops, we developed a microbiome-informed prediction model in potato, where seed tuber microbiome profiles accurately forecast plant vigor in the next growing season. Together, these findings illustrate how the extended immune system is grounded in genetically determined processes, from host-mediated microbiome recruitment to microbial traits that suppress pathogens and activate ISR. By linking classical plant immunity to modern plant–microbiome concepts, we highlight how plants deploy an evolutionarily integrated immune system that transcends the individual and offer a conceptual and practical foundation for developing microbiome-assisted cropping systems that produce more with fewer inputs.

16:30 pm - 17:00 pm

Coffee Break

17:00 pm - 18:30 pm

Round Table 2: Scientific Solutions and Translation Bottlenecks 

(Moderator, Mark Tester, Jonathan Jones, Harro Bouwmeester,…)

18:50 pm

Dinner and Poster Session 2

Session 5. Future Food Systems Perspectives

09:00 am - 09:35 am

Prof Mark Tester (KAUST)

09:35 am - 10:10 am

Prof Rod Wing (Univ. of Arizona, USA)

10:10 am - 10:25 am

Mohammed Salem

Advancing Plant Hormone Biology from Discovery to Agricultural Applications

Abstract

Abstract:

The increasing global population, environmental threats, and persistent economic challenges demand innovative, science-driven approaches to achieve sustainable food security. Our research addresses these challenges by leveraging plant-derived bioactive compounds such as hormone-based strigolactone analogs and zaxinone to enhance crop productivity, stress tolerance, and suppress the devastating impact of root parasitic weeds such as Striga. Our lab pioneers the discovery and the use of the natural apocarotenoid metabolite zaxinone a bioactive metabolite with significant regulatory roles in plant growth, development, and stress resilience. Zaxinone has been shown to enhance sugar metabolism, promote root growth, and modulate hormone homeostasis, offering a sustainable solution to improve crop productivity and combat root parasitic weeds like Striga. However, its limited natural availability and complex synthesis have hindered large-scale application. To address this, we developed easy to synthesize analogues that mimic zaxinone bioactivity. Field trials demonstrated that zaxinone mimics enhance crop yields while reducing chemical fertilizer dependence, thereby promoting sustainable agriculture. Complementing this work, our development of strigolactone analogs exhibits dual functionality; significantly reducing Striga emergence while simultaneously enhancing the growth performance and yield of treated cereal crops. By integrating these bioactive innovations, we present a science-driven strategy to improve crop yield and quality, stress tolerance, and reduce agrochemical dependency. This approach not only addresses immediate challenges in vulnerable agricultural systems but also contributes to long-term food security and ecological sustainability. In summary, our findings bridge the gap between lab-scale discovery and real-world application, offering practical tools for policymakers, agronomists, and farmers to transition toward resilient and sustainable food systems.

10:25 am - 10:55 am

Coffee Break

10:55 am - 11:10 am

Dr Abdulaziz Al-Harbi (King Saud Univ., Ryadh, SA)

How Protected Cultivation Is Ensuring Saudi Arabia's Food Security Amid Climate Change

Abstract

Abstract:

Saudi Arabia faces a profound challenge to its food security: an extreme desert climate characterized by intense heat, scarce water, and poor soil, all of which are exacerbated by climate change. Traditional open-field agriculture is not only difficult but also environmentally unsustainable due to its massive consumption of finite fossil water.

Protected cultivation including advanced greenhouses, net houses, and hydroponic/aquaponic systems has emerged as the cornerstone of Saudi Arabia's strategy to overcome these challenges and build a resilient, self-sufficient food system.

The core function of protected cultivation is to create a controlled, optimized microclimate, shielding crops from the harsh external environment.

• Temperature Control: Advanced greenhouses use automated cooling systems (evaporative pads, fans) and shading to maintain ideal temperatures for plant growth, even when it's 50°C (122°F) outside. This allows for year-round production, eliminating seasonal limitations.
• Humidity Management: Sensors and systems carefully manage humidity levels to prevent plant diseases (common in high humidity) and reduce transpiration stress (common in low humidity), optimizing plant health and yield.
• Protection from Elements: Structures protect high-value crops from damaging winds, sandstorms, and pests, drastically reducing crop loss and the need for pesticides.
The most critical benefit for a desert environment in the water conservation and improved efficiency. Saudi Arabia's agricultural sector has historically relied on non-renewable groundwater, depleting aquifers at an alarming rate.
• Closed-Loop Hydroponics/Aquaponics: These soilless systems grow plants in nutrient-rich water. They recirculate over 90% of the water, with only a tiny fraction lost to transpiration and evaporation. This is a monumental improvement over traditional flood irrigation, which can see efficiency rates below 50%.
• Precision Delivery: Water and nutrients are delivered directly to the plant roots in exact quantities needed. This "precision agriculture" approach eliminates water waste and runoff.
Protected cultivation turns limited arable land into hyper-productive assets.
• Higher Yields: Ideal growing conditions and extended growing seasons result in yields that are 10 to 20 times higher per square meter compared to open-field farming.
• Vertical Farming: Some advanced facilities utilize vertical stacking, multiplying the production capacity of their footprint even further. This is crucial for producing more food in a smaller land area.
• Crop Quality: Controlled environments produce higher-quality, consistent, and cleaner produce (often pesticide-free) that meets high market standards, potentially even for export.
The adoption of protected cultivation is not accidental; it is a direct and strategic implementation of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy away from oil and develop sustainable sectors.

11:10 am - 11:25 pm

Girma Beakal

Proteomic and Metabolomic Profiling and Functional Annotation of Two Drought tolerant Tef Genotypes During Dehydration and Rehydration

Abstract

Abstract:

This study investigated the responses of two tef genotypes to drought stress and subsequent recovery, with the aim of identifying differentially abundant proteins, metabolites, and biological pathways underlying drought tolerance. At the end of drought, both genotypes accumulated stress-protective proteins, including heat shock proteins, dehydrins, LEA proteins, and ferritin, supporting protein stabilization, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification, osmotic adjustment, ABA-mediated signalling, and delayed senescence. Boni uniquely enriched alternative splicing–related factors containing RRM and CCCH domains, highlighting a prominent role of post-transcriptional regulation in its drought response.

Antioxidant strategies differed between genotypes. Although hydrogen peroxide catabolic processes were commonly downregulated, RIL 44 compensated by enhancing glyoxal-detoxification pathways. In contrast, Boni increased L-proline biosynthesis, reflecting reliance on proline-mediated osmoprotection. Metabolomic analyses supported these findings, showing increased accumulation of proline and glutamic acid at the end of drought, followed by relatively lower accumulation during early recovery.

KEGG pathway analysis during drought revealed coordinated suppression of secondary metabolism and cell-wall biosynthesis. Downregulation of phenylpropanoid and lignin pathways suggests reduced lignification and redirection of carbon and energy toward stress-adaptive metabolites. Cell-wall-related processes, including secondary wall formation, glucuronoxylan synthesis, and nucleotide-sugar metabolism, were also suppressed, likely maintaining wall flexibility. Metabolomic data further showed increased accumulation of arabitol and meso-erythritol, sugar alcohols associated with osmotic regulation and cell-wall modification during dehydration–rehydration cycles.

Recovery induced reactivation of glucuronoxylan biosynthesis and primary and secondary cell-wall formation pathways, supporting renewed tissue repair and cell expansion. RIL 44 exhibited earlier and more complete pathway reactivation, consistent with rapid physiological recovery, whereas Boni showed a more gradual restoration accompanied by continued cell-wall modulation.

Overall, tef drought tolerance involves molecular chaperone induction, genotype-specific antioxidant strategies, metabolic reprogramming, and dynamic regulation of cell-wall biosynthesis. These multi-omics insights provide valuable targets for breeding and biotechnological improvement of drought resilience in tef.

11:25 am - 12:00 pm

Dr Ndjido Kane (CERAAS, Senegal)

Plant stress and agriculture in future climates

Abstract

Abstract:

As global food systems face unprecedented pressures from climate change, population growth, and economic challenges, regions like West and Central Africa are at a critical juncture. This region is characterized by its diverse agro-ecological zones, but it also grapples with issues such as increasing soil degradation, water scarcity, and vulnerability to climate variability. These factors, combined with socioeconomic challenges, have significant implications for food security, nutrition, and agricultural productivity. The presentation will highlight specific case studies illustrating the impacts of these challenges on local communities and agricultural systems. However, amidst these challenges lie considerable opportunities for innovation and resilience. The role of sustainable agricultural practices, advancements in crop adaptation and improvement, and integrated resource management will be discussed as crucial strategies for enhancing food systems in the region. Furthermore, the importance of building robust partnerships among governments, research institutions, and the private sector will be emphasized to mobilize resources and drive impactful change.

By fostering dialogue and collaboration, we can create pathways toward sustainable food systems that not only ensure food security but also empower local communities and promote environmental stewardship. This presentation aims to engage participants in a critical discussion on how to leverage regional knowledge and global frameworks to address the multifaceted challenges of food systems in West and Central Africa, drawing on insights from the Regional Center of Excellence on Dryland Cropping Systems (CERAAS).

12:00 pm - 13:30 pm

Lunch Break (Campus Dinner)

Satellite Session: Nature-based Carbon Sequestration Technologies

13:30 pm - 14:05 pm

Presentation by Maged Saad (KAUST)

14:05 pm -14:40 pm

Prof Khaled Al Rohily (Estidamah, Riyadh, SA)

14:40 pm - 14:55 pm

Arun Prasanna

Microbial Oxalotrophy and Enzyme Diversity Implications for Soil Carbon Stabilization and Climate Resilient Agriculture

Abstract

Abstract:

Rising global temperatures threaten future food systems by reducing crop productivity and accelerating soil degradation, particularly in arid and dryland regions, making microbial processes that enhance soil carbon stabilization and plant resilience increasingly important. Oxalotrophy is the ability of bacteria to metabolize oxalate as a carbon and energy source — links microbial metabolism to carbon sequestration through the oxalate–carbonate pathway (OCP), generating stable inorganic carbon pools in soils that reduce carbon loss, improve soil structure and nutrient availability, and support plant productivity. In this study, we systematically characterized the oxalotrophic potential of bacteria by cataloging enzyme systems involved in oxalate metabolism and organizing them into two functional toolkits: a biomineralization toolkit supporting inorganic carbon formation and an assimilation toolkit enabling the incorporation of oxalate into central metabolism, biosynthesis, and energy production. Using genome-scale bioinformatic analyses, we screened 536 bacterial genomes from desert and dryland environments spanning 81 genera to identify oxalotrophs relevant to climate-stressed ecosystems. Experimental validation showed that while several strains grew on oxalate-amended media, two Pseudomonas isolates failed to do so despite genomic predictions, and sequence analysis revealed non-conservative substitutions in glyoxylate carboligase (EC 4.1.1.47), suggesting that enzyme divergence can decouple genomic potential from functional performance. Together, these findings link microbial oxalotrophy to soil carbon dynamics and highlight the importance of enzyme-level resolution when evaluating microbial traits relevant to climate-resilient and sustainable food systems.

14:55 pm - 15:10 pm

Julian Hunt

Daily temperature changes storage for cooling greenhouses in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Abstract:

High solar irradiation in arid regions causes significant daily temperature swings. While these fluctuations are passively used for cooling buildings, their potential for other cooling services remains largely untapped. This paper introduces Daily Temperature Fluctuation Cooling (DTFC), a novel method that extends this concept beyond buildings to provide scalable, low-cost, and sustainable cooling. DTFC cools a rock pile using cold ambient air at night, which then chills air during the day. The system is simple and utilizes low-cost materials like granite or basalt. We explore the system's design, including rock size, pile height, and fan energy consumption, highlighting DTFC's potential as a renewable, low-cost cooling solution for energy poor regions.

15:10 pm - 15:45 pm

Prof Ueli Niinemets (Estonian Univ. Tartu, EE)

Plant stress and agriculture in future climates

Abstract

Biography:

Global change increases the frequency and severity of abiotic and biotic stresses, and results in more frequent sequential stress episodes and stress interactions. This poses major challenges for future agriculture. Apart from stress per se, the increase of ambient CO2 concentration ([CO2]) alters both plant primary and secondary metabolism and can significantly modify crop sensitivity to various stresses. In particular, elevated [CO2] is expected to improve plant heat and drought resistance, but there is controversial evidence of the impacts of elevated [CO2] on herbivory resistance. Although the sensitivity to global change-driven increases in stress prevalence varies among crops, the stress resistance of most contemporary crop varieties is low to moderate, while there is a major and yet unexploited variation in stress resistance among wild plants. This presentation first highlights the basic concepts of stress response, acclimation and resistance, and reviews the key phenotypic responses to drought, heat and herbivory stresses. Then the presentation demonstrates how interactive stresses alter plant phenotype and ultimately discusses the direct and indirect impacts of elevated [CO2] on stress response and acclimation. The presentation emphasizes the suites of chemical, physiological and structural plant traits that determine the interspecific variability in stress resistance and identifies the key knowledge gaps for future studies. The presentation concludes that future agriculture should learn from the natural variation in stress resistance in breeding robust crop varieties for future climates as well as exploit novel crops adapted to future climates.

15:45 pm - 16:00 pm

Conclusions and End of Conference

SPEAKERS