Graduate students pursuing master's and PhD degrees participate in research that contributes to their fields. Master's programs combine coursework and independent study, culminating in a thesis, while PhD students conduct original research leading to a dissertation. Throughout their studies, they collaborate with faculty, publish findings, and develop expertise for careers in academia, industry, or research roles.
Over the years, several master's and PhD theses have been conducted, and we highlight a selection of them:
Student name: Rabea AL-Sayaydeh
Supervisor: Dr. Jamal Ayad
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Ayed Al-abdallat
Study title: Physiological assessment of transgenic barley genotypes expressing HVABF2 transcription factor in response to water deficit stress.
Publication: 1. Al-Sayaydeh, R., Ayad, J., Harwood, W., & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2024). Stress-Inducible Expression of HvABF2 Transcription Factor Improves Water Deficit Tolerance in Transgenic Barley Plants. Plants, 13(22), 3113.
2. Albdaiwi, R., Al-Sayaydeh, R., Al-Rifaee, M. K., Alhindi, T., Ashraf, M., & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2024). Halotolerant endophytic bacteria regulate growth and field performance of two durum wheat genotypes with contrasting salinity tolerance potential. Plants, 13(9), 1179.
3. Al-Sayaydeh, R., Shtaya, M. J., Qubbaj, T., Al-Rifaee, M. K., Alabdallah, M. A., Migdadi, O., ... & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2023). Performance and stability analysis of selected durum wheat genotypes differing in their kernel characteristics. Plants, 12(14), 2664.
Student name: Moneer Mansour
Supervisor: Prof. Ayed Al-abdallat
Study title: Population structure and genetic diversity analyses in a set of Jordanian durum wheat (Triticum durum) landraces.
Student name: Batool Al-adaileh
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Rida Shibli
Study title: Establishment of callus and cell suspension cultures for Commiphora gileadensis L.
Publication: Al-Abdallat, A. M., Adayileh, B. K., Sawwan, J. S., Shibli, R., Al-Qudah, T. S., Abu-Irmaileh, B., ... & Bustanji, Y. (2023). Secondary metabolites profiling, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of Commiphora gileadensis L. leaves, seeds, callus, and cell suspension extracts. Metabolites, 13(4), 537.
Student name: Farah Al-Mbideen
Study title: Evaluation of near isogenic durum wheat lines differing in the NAM-B1 gene under drought stress.
Publication: Mbideen, F. O., Aburumman, A., Al-Sayaydeh, R., Albdaiwi, R. N., & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2024). Effect of Water Deficit Stress on Reproductive Stage of Durum Wheat Near Isogenic Lines Carrying the NAM-B1 Gene. The Open Agriculture Journal, 18(1).
Student name: Huda Al-Hyari
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Khouloud Al-Ananbeh
Study title: Evaluation of fusarium crown rot disease (Fusarium culmorum) resistance in Jordanian durum wheat landraces.
Publication: 1. Alananbeh, K. M., Al-Abdallat, A., & Al-Hiary, H. (2024). First Report of Fusarium culmorum Causing Crown Rot on Wheat in Jordan. Plant Disease, 108(3), 799.
2. Alananbeh, K. M., Al-Qasim, M., Gharaibeh, A., & Al-Hiary, H. A. (2020). First report of shoot blight caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum on citrus in Jordan. Plant Disease, 104(2), 571-571.
Student name: Zahera Akkeh
Study title: Agronomic performance and physiological responses against drought in Kennedy, a bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landrace from Jordan.
Publication: 1. Abu-Elenein, J., Al-Sayaydeh, R., Akkeh, Z., Al-Ajlouni, Z., Al-Bawalize, A. A., Hasan, S., ... & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2021). Agronomic performance and flowering behavior in response to photoperiod and vernalization in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes with contrasting drought tolerance behavior. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 192, 104661.
2. Al-Sayaydeh, R., Al-Habahbeh, K., Akkeh, Z., & Albdaiwi, R. N. (2021). In silico gene expression analysis of the stress-related NAC-a gene subfamily to dissect their role in abiotic stress tolerance in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Jordan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 17(3), 341-354.
Student name: Mazen Al-Kilani
Study title: Assessment of genetic diversity among indigenous populations of ancient olive (Olea europaea L.) trees from Jordan.
Publication: 1. Al-Kilani, M. A., Taranto, F., D’Agostino, N., Montemurro, C., Belaj, A., Ayoub, S., ... & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2024). Evaluation of genetic diversity among olive trees (Olea europaea L.) from Jordan. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 1437055.
2. D'Agostino, N., Fruggiero, I., Maisto, A., Taranto, F., Al-Kilani, M. A., & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2025). Exploring the plastome diversity of fifteen centuries-old olive trees (Oleae europeae L.) from Jordan: insights and implications for conservation. Frontiers in Plant Science, 16, 1647776.
Student name: Doa'a Abu-Darwish
Study title: Micropropagation, callus culture and secondary metabolites production in wild Chiliadenus montanus (VHAL.) brullo.
Publication: Abu-Darwish, D., Shibli, R., & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2022). In vitro cultures and volatile organic compound production in chiliadenus montanus (vhal.) brullo. Plants, 11(10), 1326.
Student name: Osama Migdadi
Study title: QTL mapping of kernel characteristics in norsi, a durum wheat (Triticum turgidum SSP. Durum) landrace from Jordan.
Publication: Al-Sayaydeh, R., Shtaya, M. J., Qubbaj, T., Al-Rifaee, M. K., Alabdallah, M. A., Migdadi, O., ... & Al-Abdallat, A. M. (2023). Performance and stability analysis of selected durum wheat genotypes differing in their kernel characteristics. Plants, 12(14), 2664.
Student name: Abeer Abu-Rumman
Study title: Comparative transcriptome analysis of two durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) genotypes under water deficit conditions.