MAKKAH: As Saudi Arabia expands saffron cultivation across regions including AlUla, Tabuk and Al-Baha, scientists are exploring ways to improve the productivity and quality of one of the world’s most valuable crops.
Prof. Salim Al-Babili, associate vice president for research for plant science at KAUST, told Arab News that biotechnology could play a key role in supporting the Kingdom’s emerging saffron industry and helping growers overcome the challenges of cultivating the crop in arid environments.
Known as “red gold,” saffron is prized not only for its economic value but also for its bioactive compounds, which have attracted growing interest for their potential health benefits.
Al-Babili said: “Cultivating the delicate Crocus sativus under arid climatic conditions presents considerable biological and agronomic challenges.”
Addressing these challenges requires innovative scientific solutions.
