Master’s Degree Awarded to Ms. Sultana Mohammed Enba in Horticulture

Ms. Sultana Mohammed Enba ‎was awarded a Master’s Degree in Horticulture with distinction for her thesis titled: Evaluating the Genetic Variation of some Traits Related to Drought Tolerance in Yemeni Coffee Landraces, which was submitted to the Department of Horticulture and Its Technologies, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment – Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Thursday,, December 11, 2025.

The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

#	Committee Members	Designation	Position
1	Prof. Hassan Abduljabbar Al-Dubaei	Internal Examiner	Chair
2	Prof. Ameen Abdu Al-Hakimi	Main Supervisor	Member
3	Assoc. Prof. Khaled Ali Ahmed Noaman	External Examiner	Member

The study aimed to:

Highlight the importance of genetic variation in Yemeni local coffee landraces with respect to drought tolerance and resistance traits.
Develop a research framework capable of identifying and estimating such genetic variation under Yemeni environmental conditions, particularly the morphological and physiological traits expressed by coffee seedlings under water stress.
Estimate the genetic components of morphological and physiological traits associated with drought tolerance in coffee

The study yielded a number of key findings, summarized as follows:

There is significant genetic variation among Yemeni coffee landraces and cultivars in traits related to drought tolerance.
Traits with high heritability estimates were identified, indicating their suitability for effective use in breeding and genetic improvement programs.
The study established a scientific protocol for studying and evaluating genetic variation in agricultural crops, particularly coffee.

In light of these findings, the researcher recommended the following:

Preserving farmers’ field landraces within their original cultivation areas.
Encouraging researchers and postgraduate students to intensify research efforts on local landraces to ensure proper characterization and documentation of their traits.
Continuing research based on the outcomes of the present study to expand the investigation of additional traits and characteristics.
Sustaining field-based evaluation of genetic variation and comparing it with conserved genetic material in the gene bank of the Participatory Foundation for Research, Development, and Publication (PFRD) and the Yemeni Association for Sustainable Agricultural Development (YASAD).
Providing institutional support to postgraduate students, recognizing them as the foundation of scientific research and national development.

The defense session was attended by faculty members, researchers, students, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.