Biotechnological approaches for conservation and improvement of rare and endangered plants of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Genetic variation is believed to be a prerequisite for the short-and long-term survival of the plant species in their natural habitat. It depends on many environmental factors which determine the number of alleles on various loci in the genome. Therefore, it is important to understand the genetic composition and structure of the rare and endangered plant species from their natural habitat to develop successful management strategies for their conservation. However, rare and endangered plant species have low genetic diversity due to which their survival rate is decreasing in the wilds. The evaluation of genetic diversity of such species is very important for their conservation and gene manipulation. However, plant species can be conserved by in situ and in vitro methods and each has advantages and disadvantages. DNA banking can be considered as a means of complimentary method for the conservation of plant species by preserving their genomic DNA at low temperatures. Such approach of preservation of biological information provides opportunity for researchers to search novel genes and its products. Therefore, in this review we are describing some potential biotechnological approaches for the conservation and further manipulation of these rare and endangered plant species to enhance their yield and quality traits.

Assessment of phylogenetic relationship of rare plant species collected from Saudi Arabia using internal transcribed spacer sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA

“…The flora of Saudi Arabia is faced with various threats such as deforestation, climate change, invasive species, altered soil pH and composition, stress due to various heavy metals, drought, salinity, high and low temperatures, different altitudes, and increased habitat fragmentation (Khan et al, 2012). The percentage of rare and endangered species is very high in Saudi Arabia as compared to other Middle East countries.…”

Development of genetic markers for Ochradenus arabicus (Resedaceae), an endemic medicinal plant of Saudi Arabia

“…There are many biotechnological approaches available, which can be used to enhance its medicinal quality by increasing its content of phytoconstituents (Khan et al, 2012). Therefore, in the present study, sequence-based markers were developed for O. arabicus and further used for discrimination from a closely related species (O. baccatus), widely available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which share similar morphological characteristics in the dried state.…”

RNA interference: concept to reality in crop improvement

“…RNAi may help to improve the nutraceutical potential of a plant and/its products by enhancing the content of useful amino acids, fatty acids, fibre or by getting rid of allergenic/toxic compounds (Small 2007;Vaucheret 2006;Martino-Catt and Sachs 2008;Newell-McGloughlin 2008). Khan et al (2012) reported that RNAi is a potential technique being used for the production of medicinal plants with potential traits for a particular marker compound which is needed for eradication of diseases.…”