In a delightful new achievement, the Department of Agricultural Research at the Ministry of Municipality (MME) has succeeded in growing six types of wild plants, pastoral and medicinal plants in the field gene bank at the Rawdat Al Faras Research Station.

The feat reflects the department’s eagerness to preserve significant plant genes of the Arab region, whether they are local plants or those acclimatized to the country’s environmental conditions, the Director of the Agricultural Research Department, Hamad Saket Al Shammari said.

The six plants comprise: Al Arjan, Ghusnulban, Al Didhan, Al Harshaf Al Barri, Aynul Jamal (Adonis) and Shawkal Jamalm, according to The Peninsula.

The MME official also drew attention to the field gene bank, saying that it was established in Qatar almost 12 years ago to preserve, protect and facilitate research on all important wild and local species of plants as well as those adapted to the country’s climatic conditions.

Moreover, the work carried out at the field gene bank also contributes to food security programs, provision of alternative feeds, rehabilitation of grazing land, wild cultivation and desertification control, Gulf Times reported.

Dr Hayel Alwawi, an agriculture expert at MME’s Department of Agricultural Research underlined that while the food gene bank works to preserve the most important and rare plant species, it specifically concentrates on species that hold fodder, pastoral, medicinal or aromatic significance.

Until now, at least 110 rare or endangered plant species have been preserved at the bank, the Dr Alwawi mentioned.

Meanwhile, health authorities in Qatar continue to implement the highest level of monitoring, detection, and management procedures to deal with the virus, the public has been advised to follow certain measures to safeguard their health.

For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.

--