Genetically Characterizing Plants Native to Kuwait

The plant species that exist in Kuwait’s desert ecosystem have enormous scientific value because they offer a valuable genetic pool that lends itself to drought, heat and salt-tolerance research that can be applied to a wide range of cultivated plants. These plans have potential for use in phytoremediation, ornamental landscaping and sand protection from erosion. Unfortunately the native plant biodiversity of the Arabian Peninsula has been significantly depleted over recent years. Over 90% of the total land area now suffers from desertification, and 44% of it is severely degraded due to global warming, overgrazing, urbanization, and damage caused during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Considering the rate at which plant life in Kuwait is being depleted, there is an urgent need to conserve the flora of Kuwait for future generations. Understanding that the genetic variation of Kuwait’s plant ecosystem is essential to the establishment of effective and efficient conservation practices for desert-native plants, the Biotechnology Program has initiated a project to genetically assess Haloxylon salicornicum and the Rhanterium epapposum, two important plants native to Kuwait.