Agricultural Research Station

Agricultural Research Station is located 60 km north of the State of Qatar in Rawdat Al-Faras. It is characterized by remoteness from cities and environmental pollution. It also has good agricultural soil. The area of the station is estimated at about 54.3 hectares (Total area of 419, 927, 60 m2), which is equivalent to (452, 006, 07 square feet). This land area was a gift from the late H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, the Grandfather Amir, with the aim of enhancing the University's capabilities in academic and applied agricultural sector. It was previously called Qatar University Farm.

Vision

Be a lead entity for promoting food and environmental sustainability through scientific research, training and community service.

Mission

Contribute to achieving sustainable development by supporting Qatar National Food Security Strategy. This is through creating human capabilities, advancing the agricultural sector and serving the relevant institutions.

1. Establishing strategic programs for agricultural research and using modern technology in developing and improving the agricultural sector, through several research programs as follows:
   • Development program for research and technologies on food and feed production
   • Development program for research on preservation of national plants
   • Development program for research and techniques of date palm research
2. Training and qualifying human capabilities in agricultural field through:
   • Academic support: Hosting the QU students’ graduation projects and the faculty members’ research projects as well as arranging training courses and field visits.
   • Training and workshops: Developing training programs for local stakeholders and providing facilities for stakeholders to hold specialized workshops.
3. Contributing to meeting the needs of society and stakeholders in terms of consultations, awareness activities, and scientific and technical services, through
   • Providing technical and scientific consultations as a house of academic experience in this field as well as contributing to awareness and extension campaigns and educational programs for stakeholders.

1. Making use of solar energy in technology research and development
2. Research on developing packing and post-harvest of palm fruits
3. Research on horticulture and ornamental plants

Main Building

It includes the Station head’s office as well as a number of administrative offices and offices for researchers and technicians.

Research Laboratories

1. General Research Laboratory

   General Research Laboratory is the main and primary laboratory in the Station. It includes all research activities related to scientific research and practical training for researchers and students. The General Research Laboratory aims to establish, develop and adopt new ideas for research, which will have a positive impact on work quality and support the Station’s strategic plans.

   Laboratories will be equipped with high-tech equipment to accommodate researchers with different interests and disciplines. Hence, researchers from different related sectors will be encouraged and allowed to experiment with laboratory work, develop research skills in advanced agricultural topics.

2. Seed Technology Laboratory

   Seed Technology Laboratory is a main laboratory at the Station. It supports a program for producing seed strains, conducting research related to seed examination and developing technologies to improve adaptation of seeds to extremely hot and salty environments. Progress in the agricultural field depends entirely on the progress in the production and distribution of good seeds and the best varieties of the desired genetic and environmental characteristics.

   The objectives of this laboratory include research on the morphological and biotechnological characterization of Qatari varieties that are used by breeders as well as conducting chemical analyses of the varieties and hybrids produced at the Station. This is in addition to providing training courses on seed technology for all those who are interested in this field. The laboratory’s research will further include research on determining the effect of different environmental conditions and agricultural practices on cultivar purity in different seed grades, assessing quality characteristics of certified seeds and estimating the cultivar purity at different reproduction grades. Research will also be conducted to determine the best packages that can be used, storage periods and appropriate environmental conditions for storing different crops.

3. Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory

   It is concerned with research related to culture plant tissues as well as providing practical training for researchers and students on how to culture plant tissues for plant propagation. Inside the laboratory, a plant culture medium (media) is prepared for being used to cultivate cuttings and buds and put them in suitable conditions of heat, moisture and light. Thus, these cuttings and buds are allowed to grow. Then, they are placed in the soil for preparing seedlings. The activities of this laboratory will include: Studying and implementing a general project for culturing plant cells and tissues to produce all kinds of endangered Qatari trees and plants; studying and implementing a project for the tissue propagation of all kinds of fruiting palm trees; and studying and implementing a project for tissue propagation of wild plants and other vital projects.

4. Plant Biotechnology Laboratory

   Use of biomolecular techniques in understanding biological issues is essential in research works in natural and agricultural sciences. Typical research contains metagenomics; comparative and functional analysis of genomic and metagenomic datasets can be conducted, including microbial functions. Current and new datasets can be analysed through using standard field techniques.

   The Plant Biotechnology Laboratory provides research facilities for researchers and students in genetics, molecular biology and bioinformatics studies. The activities of this laboratory will extend to further branches of molecular biology and plant biotechnology, including for example: improving agriculture in marginal environments and increasing current crop salt tolerance as well as conducting researches. These researches aim to understand the basic molecular mechanisms in plant response to extreme environments, such as soil salinity and the use of a combination of genomes, genes and DNA molecules. This is in order to analyse different levels of gene arrangement and to understand stress tolerance.

5. Chemical Analysis Laboratory

   Environmental analytical chemistry is essential for all researchers in natural sciences, particularly agricultural fields. This is in order to contribute to solving many environmental issues. The most appropriate analytical equipment for this laboratory will be provided. It will further be supported by technical and academic competencies in the fields of analytical and environmental chemistry. The chemical laboratory will analyse soil, water, air, nutrients, pesticide residues, and biological samples. This is through using the latest colour, combustion, spectroscopy and chromatographic equipment.

Weather Station

It is used for monitoring and weather forecasting purposes. It contains techniques for monitoring the Earth's atmosphere to provide information on weather conditions and climate studies. Its function is to measure temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction and rainfall quantity.

Protected Houses

Protected agricultural houses are the perfect production environment for growing products of high quality and quantity in every season and in an atmosphere away from environmental influences such as wind, frost, rain, insects and diseases. The use of agricultural greenhouses is primarily intended to extend the growing season of crops and high-value plants. Its purpose is to protect crops from cold, heat and unwanted pests. Greenhouses make it possible to culture certain types of crops over the year. This is in addition to cultivate fruits, vegetables and flowers, which are often grown in greenhouses. The Agricultural Research Station encompasses a greenhouse equipped with a cooling system. Thus, researchers are able to control climatic and environmental conditions inside the greenhouse. Adding further techniques and improving the used ones are underway.

Agricultural Fields

Agricultural Research Station comprises various agricultural fields. Each field is used for cultivating one type of diverse plant and trees species. These fields include the following:

1. Qatar Ecological Plants Field

   Its total area is 9 Dunums and it is equipped with a drip irrigation network. It encompasses a combination of trees and bushes in the flora of Qatar, such as acacia, Acacia ehrenbergiana Hayne acacia tortilis (sage), Rhamnus (canar), Prosopis (grouse ), Lycium barbarum (thistle), and frankincense (330 plants).

2. Palm Germplasm Complex

   It covers an area of 36 Dunums and it is equipped with a drip irrigation network.

   It includes a genetic complex involving several palm tree species. This is in addition to 19 of the most important palm tissue varieties expanded in Qatar, such as Nabut Saif, Khelas, Burhi, Sukari, Hilali, Khadrawi, Hatami, Shabibi, Khenizi and Anbara. Moreover, it embraces 440 seedlings resulting from the tissue micro-propagation of 119 seed palm offsprings.

3. Palm Genetic Improvement field

   It covers an area of 36 Dunums and it is equipped with a drip irrigation network. It includes a genetic complex of several palm tree species resulting from tissue micro-propagation and palm breeding. Furthermore, it contains 430 seedlings of the most important palm tissue varieties expanded in Qatar, such as Burhi, Al-Sukari, Hilali, Khadrawi, Hatami, Shabibi, Khelas and Khenizi.

4. Visitors Field

   It involves two land areas of grasses and some flowers. It measures 4 Donums, in which sprinkling and drip irrigation systems are applied.

5. Nursery

   Its total area is 4.2 Donums and it is covered by agricultural nets. Sprinkling and immersion irrigation systems are applied. Various plants are propagated, germinated, and different seedlings are produced, such as trees and shrubs, medicinal herbs, decorative plants, and certain types of leafy green vegetables, such as parsley, mint, etc.

6. Plant Acclimatization Field

   It measures 4 Dunums, in which an immersion irrigation system is applied. Many plants are acclimatized and tempered. While, some different seedlings are grown for a specified period, and then plants are transferred to the permanent field.

7. Fruit Trees Field

   It covers an area of 10 Dunums, in which a drip irrigation system is applied. It contains 160 seedlings of several species of fruit and citrus trees such as lemon dahlia, Omani lemon, olives, pomegranate, berries, and figs. Moreover, there is another field of 40 Dunums where approximately 10 Dunums are cultivated with about 250 species of plants, like berries, pomegranate, tamarind, guava, and almonds.

8. Medical and Aromatic Plants Field

   Its total area is 8 Dunums, in which a drip irrigation system is applied. It embraces nearly 400 seedlings of diverse collections of medicinal and aromatic plants such as henna, castor, moringa, valley laurel, myrtle, arak and lemon grass, as well as a combination of Neem trees.

9. Ornamental Trees and Shrubs Field

   It measures 10 Dunums, in which a drip irrigation system is applied. It contains 360 seedlings of diverse collections of ornamental trees and shrubs, like bougainvillea, alkalifia, celepinia, tecoma and more.

10. Pastoral Crops Field

    It covers an area of 20 Dunums, in which a drip irrigation system is applied. It involves seven types of pastoral plants.

11. Qatar Environment Animal Field

    Its total area is 35 Dunums. It includes certain types of Qatari environment animals, for example: foxes, snakes, leopards, scorpions, wild mice, hedgehogs and other species of reptiles (the field is made up of a natural environment, excluding fences).

Beekeeping and Honey Production

The apiary at the Agricultural Research Station is considered one of the unique farm elements. The honey that it produces is the best type in the State of Qatar due to the quality of food that bees feed on. At the present time, it involves twenty honey-producing beehives. Further, there is a great potential for developing this apiary with a view to increasing its production and providing distinct strains of bees.

Wells and Irrigation Systems

The Agricultural Research Station contains ten artesian wells. Five of which are used with submersible electric pumps. The water salinity in these wells is adequate for agriculture; since it allows the growth of a wide variety of plants. The operation of Station's irrigation systems depends on several methods, including drip, sprinkler and immersion.

The Agricultural Research Station offers a wide range of services. For inquiries, please contact us via email. You can also request one of our services using the below request forms. Upon completion of all required data, forms are to be submitted via the Station's e-mail.

 Forms

• Event Request Form in the Agricultural Research Station Farm
• Field Trip to the Agricultural Research Station Farm (Schools / Universities)
• Field Trip to the Agricultural Research Station Farm (Official Delegation / External Institutions)
• Plant/Tree Request Form from the Agricultural Research Station Farm

 Email

ars@qu.edu.qa