​The first specific inhibitor for an uncontrollable plant pest, the witchweed Striga hermonthica, has been discovered through collaboration between two groups at KAUST, led by plant biochemist Salim Al-Babili and structural biologist Stefan Arold.

Witchweed is a parasitic plant that attaches to the roots of cereal plants, stealing their water and nutrients. It affects more than 60 percent of farmland in sub-Saharan Africa, and is spreading across other areas, including Asia, Southeast Europe and Saudi Arabia. Commercial losses for sub-Saharan Africa alone exceed 7 billion US dollars.

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Image: Umar Hameed (front) and Imran Haider work on protein purification in the lab.