The President of University of Petra, Prof. Rami Abdel-Rahem, and the General Director of the Natural Agricultural Research Center, Dr. Nizar Haddad, sponsored the opening of an advanced course on the applications of nanotechnology in agriculture. The course targeted researchers from universities, the National Center, and the Ministry of Agriculture with the aim of enhancing their capabilities in nanotechnology applications.
Prof. Rami Abdel-Rahem, the President of University of Petra, emphasized that nanotechnology is a branch of nanoscience that starts from the nano-scale and extends to the micro-scale. He pointed out that the private sector is increasingly designing nano-devices for medical, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. What distinguishes nanotechnology is its diverse physical properties that aid in the spread of agricultural pharmaceuticals on plant surfaces, improving their absorption by plant cells, and utilizing them to combat agricultural diseases and enhance agricultural production.
Abdel-Rahem praised the collaboration with the Natural Agricultural Research Center, citing their Jordanian expertise in various agricultural sciences that aim to advance agricultural scientific research.
During the course, Dr. Mayyas Al-Rimawi, Vice President of the University of Petra, provided an overview of research projects and studies related to nanotechnology applications in various fields.
Dr. Nizar Haddad, the General Director of the Natural Agricultural Research Center, noted that this course resulted from a memorandum of understanding signed with the University of Petra, leading to the implementation of a specialized training program in nanotechnology applications and its application in agriculture. The goal is to build a research team comprising members from the Center, the University of Petra, and researchers from various Jordanian universities to develop nanotechnology applications and transfer knowledge to improve water quality and nanofertilizer production. He also highlighted joint scientific research with the University of Petra on the application of nanofertilizers on wheat plants.