Abderrahman Khaleg, left, agricultural advisor to the president of the United Arab Emirates, and Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef exchange gifts Monday evening during a ceremony in the Alumni and Visitors Center. UC Davis and the United Arab Emirates initiated an agricultural research collaboration, focused on research related to salt-tolerant crops and other agricultural technologies developed in UC Davis' Department of Pomology. During an exchange of gifts, Vanderhoef presented Khaleg with the book Abundant Harvest, about the founding and development of UC Davis. In return, he received several books about the United Arab Emirates and a gold-and-marble clock featuring a camel and date palm, two of the UAE's most prized resources. UC Davis is a leader in research regarding crops that can be genetically modified for planting in areas that have salty irrigation water and salt-damaged soils.