Diversity and Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources in Saudi Arabia

Plant genetic resources (PGRs) are the backbone of our food system and major source of food for current and future generations. Diverse PGRs are the key element in developing new and desirable crop varieties through different plant breeding approaches. Therefore, their conservation is as critical and important for future food security as their current utilization in crop improvement for current food security, worldwide. The whole world is full of amazing and diverse PGRs, and almost every country in the world is striving hard to conserve its PGR for next generations. Likewise, Saudi Arabia has also plenty of unique and diverse PGRs due to its beautiful and multifarious landscape, environmental conditions, and geographical location. Due to its thoughtful intents towards the conservation and utilization of PGR for food security, Saudi Arabia has been a part of International Treaty on PGR for Food and Agriculture and the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims to conserve, utilize, and share the benefits of available genetic diversity and resources. As of now, about 2247 different species of plants have been identified in the kingdom. Among these species, about 18 species are locally extinct, whereas almost 30% are on the verge of their extinction. In this regard, several public and private institutions and organizations of Saudi Arabia including, but not limited to, Seed Center and PGR Bank of Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) are estimating the genetic diversity in local plant population and making serious efforts in their conservation. Particularly, Seed Center and PGR Bank are using both in situ and ex situ conservation means to protect the PGR for future generation and food security. Hence, in this chapter, we have briefly described about the available and identified plant genetic diversity and resources, and their conservation in Saudi Arabia. The endangered species of Saudi Arabia that need more care and attention are also highlighted. Moreover, the benefits of the conservation and major threats to genetic diversity and to the conservation of PGR are discussed as well.