PhD Degree Awarded to Ms. Laila Al-Ansi in Nano-Fertilizers
Ms. Laila Hifdhullah Saleh Juraid Al-Ansi was awarded a PhD degree with an average of Excellent for her dissertation titled, “Production of Nano Iron Fertilizer and Studying its Effect on Some Soil Properties and Carrot Plant Growth,” which was submitted to Department of Land, Water and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment – Sana’a University. The PhD dissertation defense was held on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, corresponding to Rabi’ al-Akhir 15, 1447 Hijri.
The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following members:
| # | Committee Members | Designation | University | Position |
| 1 | Assoc. Prof. Mohammed Musleh Al-Sanabani | Internal examiner | Sana’a University | Member |
| 2 | Prof. Najeeb Mohammed Al-Maghrebi | Main supervisor | Sana’a University | Member |
| 3 | Prof. Abdullah Ahmed Ali Ahmed | External Examiner | Thamar University | Chair |
The dissertation aimed to prepare a nano-iron fertilizer using an easy and eco-friendly method, utilizing raw materials available in the Yemeni environment. The dissertation also involved diagnosing the prepared fertilizer using modern scientific methods and studying the effect of different fertilizer levels on soil properties, as well as the vegetative and root properties of the carrot plant, compared to traditional commercial iron fertilizer.
The dissertation reached several important findings, the most significant of which are:
- The Sol-Gel method with self-combustion proved effective in preparing pure, well-crystallized iron nanoparticles within the nano-scale.
- The prepared nano-iron fertilizer outperformed the commercial fertilizer in most of the studied attributes under experimental conditions.
- The N5 treatment of the nano-fertilizer, at a concentration of 2 mg/L, showed superior results in most measured traits.
- The foliar application method (spraying) was superior to soil application for most studied attributes.
The dissertation presented several key recommendations, including:
- Using a concentration of 2 mg/L of the nano-iron fertilizer as a recommended fertilizer treatment for carrot plants.
- Conducting further research on other crops under diverse field conditions and in different geographical regions to deepen the understanding of nano-fertilizer effects and broaden its agricultural applications.
The PhD dissertation was examined and recommended by the Viva-Voce Committee for acceptance and approval. The PhD defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, interested students, the candidate’s colleagues, and family members.
