Terrestrial Biodiversity Preservation in Qatar's Gene Bank
<p dir="ltr">Qatar's National Gene Bank has implemented a comprehensive biodiversity conservation program from 2012 to preserve terrestrial plant genetic resources. Through systematic collection efforts covering approximately 75% of Qatar's territory, the gene bank has asse...
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2025
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| Summary: | <p dir="ltr">Qatar's National Gene Bank has implemented a comprehensive biodiversity conservation program from 2012 to preserve terrestrial plant genetic resources. Through systematic collection efforts covering approximately 75% of Qatar's territory, the gene bank has assembled 1,370 accessions representing 160 genera and 200 species from diverse ecological zones across the nation. Qatar's documented flora has expanded significantly in recent decades. Current botanical surveys recorded ding over 500 plant species forming 20 distinct plant community formations within the country's boundaries. Of these, approximately 270 species are considered native to Qatar's diverse desert ecosystems, ranging from northern rawdats to coastal zones and southern regions. The conservation strategy employs multiple internationally recognized protocols encompassing primarily ex-situ conservation through seed banking facilities with short, medium, and long-term conservation, complemented by DNA conservation at -80°C and ex-situ field conservation of fruit species, date palms, fodder crops, and medicinal-aromatic plant collections. Priority collections focus on economically important native desert species including <i>Prosopis cineraria, Vachellia species, Ziziphus nummularia, </i>and<i> Leptadenia pyrotechnica</i>, alongside medicinally significant plants such as <i>Teucrium polium </i>and<i> Anastatica hierochuntica</i>. The gene bank maintains extensive collections from key botanical families (<i>Fabaceae, Poaceae, Asteraceae, Solanaceae</i>) with particular emphasis on Qatar's unique medicinal flora: <i>Senna italica Mill., Vachellia nilotica, Salvadora persica L., Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad., Vachellia ehrenbergiana (Forssk.) Schweinf., V. tortilis, Cymbopogon commutatus (Steud.) Stapf, Rhanterium epapposum Oliv., Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T.Aiton, Glossonema edule N.E.Br., Neurada procumbens L., Cordia sinensis L., Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Sm., Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Juss. ex Schult., Blepharis ciliaris (L.) B.L.Burtt, and Capparis spinosa</i> L. Agricultural collections include over 239 heirloom tomato varieties and advanced breeding lines. All accessions are documented following Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) standards, incorporating GPS coordinates, collection metadata, local nomenclature, and traditional use information. </p><p dir="ltr">Each accession receives a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) through the Global Information System (https://glis.fao.org/glis/entity/view?eid=1314829) and is catalogued in the Qatar Plant Genetic Resources Database (https://qatargb.mm.gov.qa/), ensuring permanent identification and facilitating international collaboration within the global genetic resources network. This conservation initiative supports Qatar's agricultural biodiversity while contributing to regional food security and sustainable agriculture in arid environments. The collection serves as a critical resource for research, plant breeding, and conservation programs, particularly for species adapted to extreme desert conditions, aligning with national biodiversity strategies and environmental stewardship principles.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Conference information: 18th Edition of the Qatar University Life Sciences Symposium Bio-Environment: Advances and Innovations. (26 - 27 Nov 2025, Qatar University, Doha - Qatar)<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a></p><p dir="ltr">See the conference information on the organizer's website: <a href="https://www.qu.edu.qa/en-us/conference/QULSS2025/Pages/default.aspx" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://www.qu.edu.qa/en-us/conference/QULSS2025/Pages/default.aspx</a></p> |
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