Farming the unfarmable: How microbes revive life in desert soils

The review was developed through a year-long collaboration between five scientists: Dr. John Klironomos, Professor in Biology Chemistry and Environmental Sciences and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation at the AUS College of Arts and Sciences, Professors Guangzhou Wang, Fusuo Zhang and Junling Zhang from China Agricultural University; and Professor Wim van der Putten from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology and Wageningen University.

Their focus is on plant—soil feedback: the concept that plants shape the microbial makeup of the soil through their roots and chemical signals, while these microbes, in turn, influence plants’ access to nutrients, water and protection from disease. These feedback loops, depending on how they are managed, can either weaken or strengthen a crop system.

For regions like the UAE, where farming is challenged by salinity, limited organic matter and scarce freshwater, this model offers a path forward. At AUS, Dr. Klironomos and his team are already putting the concepts into action. Field trials are underway with microbial inoculants—beneficial bacteria or fungi added to the soil to boost plant health—and biostimulants, natural substances that help plants grow better and cope with stress like heat or poor soil. Desert crops such as wheat and date palms are tested to measure how they perform under extreme soil conditions when supported by the right microbial partners.

“Plants and microbes have always influenced each other,” said Dr. Klironomos. “The key is managing those interactions with purpose, especially in environments where every biological advantage matters. This work helps shift the focus from short-term yield to long-term soil function.”

Revitalizing traditional farming strategies for soil health

The paper also revisits traditional farming strategies—including crop rotation, intercropping and minimum tillage—not as legacy techniques but as ecologically informed methods to support soil biology. When implemented with awareness of microbial systems, these approaches can restore fertility, reduce input dependency and help create more stable growing conditions over time.

“Microbial life is one of agriculture’s most overlooked tools,” said co-author Professor Junling Zhang. “When we support the living processes in soil, we create systems that are more sustainable, more adaptive and better aligned with how ecosystems naturally function.”

Alongside ecological practice, the review points to advances in plant science. By identifying the genes and molecular signals involved in root-microbe communication, researchers are now exploring breeding strategies to develop crop varieties that interact more effectively with soil microbiomes, an emerging direction that bridges molecular biology and agronomy.

To further localize and scale this work, AUS and regional partners have launched the Sharjah Sustainable Agriculture Research Group. The group brings together Professors from AUS including: Dr. Klironomos; Dr. Mohamed Abouleish, Professor in Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences; and Dr. Tarig Ali, Professor in Civil Engineering; as well as Dr. Ali El-Keblawy from the University of Sharjah. Their combined expertise spans soil ecology, spatial analysis, sustainability science and native plant conservation and biotechnology—all directed toward restoring the biological function of arid soils.

Underlying the research is a deeper shift in mindset: soil is not a neutral background—it is alive. It breathes, it evolves and it responds to how we manage it. By treating it as a living system, the researchers argue, agriculture can move toward solutions that support not only food production but also climate resilience, biodiversity and sustainable land use.

The paper, “Steering Plant–Soil Feedback for Sustainable Agriculture,” appears in the July 2025 issue of Science. Click here to view it.