UAE scientists have sounded the alarm over the uncertain future of dozens of at-risk wild varieties of staple crops, which could hold the key to strengthening the food chain against the growing threat of climate change.
New research has highlighted that the Emirates is home to 87 crop wild relatives (CWRs), some of which possess genes which can be harnessed for breeding programmes to bolster crop resistance against weather changes such as steep rises in temperatures.
But a UAE study has cautioned that these wild relatives must be better protected or the potentially valuable genetic resources they possess could be lost.
The research, written by scientists at UAE University and published earlier this month, reports that crop wild relatives in the Emirates come from plant families including the legumes, the grasses and the cucurbits, the last being a group that includes cucumbers and watermelons.
When it comes to using wild relatives as sources of useful genes, the new study, “Crop Wild Relatives (CWRs) in the United Arab Emirates: Resources for Climate Resilience and Their Potential Medicinal Applications,” warns that in future, fewer such wild plants may exist.
Climate-busting crops in peril
“Despite the invaluable potential of CWRs to enhance some crop varieties in breeding programmes, their conservation, both in their natural habitats (in situ) and outside their natural habitats (ex situ), has been neglected for many years, placing them at risk of extinction,” the authors wrote.
“In the Arabian Peninsula, excessive grazing by goats and camels poses a significant threat to plants, including crop wild relatives. As CWRs grow in a wild environment without any protective measures, they are susceptible to depletion.”
They concluded that conserving and investigating the wild relatives of crop plants was “essential given the escalating threat posed by climate change”.
Prof Nigel Maxted, professor of plant genetic conservation at the University of Birmingham in the UK, said that concerns over how climate change would affect crops meant that interest in their wild relatives as sources of useful genes was now of greater “magnitude”.
“Because of climate change you’re going to need crops that can survive in higher temperatures and possibly with less water,” said Prof Maxted, who is not involved in the UAE research.
“These are the traits we’re looking for, not just for a specific crop, but every crop. Climate change doesn’t have a particular threat against certain crops – it will impact all of them.”
A growing concern
As temperatures soar and droughts become more common, some crops may struggle.
A 2021 study by Nasa scientists showed that global yields of maize, for example, could fall as much as 24 per cent, largely because maize will become harder to grow in the tropics.
This research found that crop yields could be affected as soon as 2030.
Yields of some crops, such as wheat, may increase, because of expansion in the area where they can be grown.
Prof Julie King, professor of cereal genetics a the University of Nottingham in the UK, said that only a small proportion of the genetic variation of CWRs had been incorporated into crops to combat these various stresses and improve yields.
“You have all that variation sitting there,” she said. “It’s the same for every crop – it’s evolved from a limited number of wild relatives.”
With wheat, the crop that she works on, segments of chromosomes – the inherited bundles of genetic material and proteins – of wild relatives have been incorporated into the genomes (the complete set of genetic material of an organism) of some domesticated varieties.
Prof King said that the latest techniques of genetic analysis allowed scientists to track more precisely which genes were transferred through traditional plant breeding.
“That technology has gone through so many leaps over the last 10, 20 years,” she said.
Also, gene-editing technology called Crispr has opened up opportunities to make crops more resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses.
“There’s a lot of interest in Crispr, but you have to know which genes to alter,” Prof King said.
Prof Maxted said that conserving crop wild relatives was vital if the world was to produce enough food.
“Unless we do something about conserving these species, we’ll go extinct, probably within our children’s lifetimes,” he said.
“What we need to do is to make sure all of these species we could use in breeding programmes are conserved.”
He said that it was important to conserve plants in gene banks, where seeds are kept in storage, and in their natural habitats. These habitats, he said, may not be pristine environments, but could be areas such as roadsides.
Impact of climate change in the Middle East - in pictures
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Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
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Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23
Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3
Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Results
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EElite%20men%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Amare%20Hailemichael%20Samson%20(ERI)%202%3A07%3A10%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Leornard%20Barsoton%20(KEN)%202%3A09%3A37%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Ilham%20Ozbilan%20(TUR)%202%3A10%3A16%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Gideon%20Chepkonga%20(KEN)%202%3A11%3A17%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Isaac%20Timoi%20(KEN)%202%3A11%3A34%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EElite%20women%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Brigid%20Kosgei%20(KEN)%202%3A19%3A15%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Hawi%20Feysa%20Gejia%20(ETH)%202%3A24%3A03%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Sintayehu%20Dessi%20(ETH)%202%3A25%3A36%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Aurelia%20Kiptui%20(KEN)%202%3A28%3A59%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Emily%20Kipchumba%20(KEN)%202%3A29%3A52%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
ATP RANKINGS (NOVEMBER 4)
1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,585 pts ( 1)
2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,945 (-1)
3. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,190
4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,705
5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,025
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,000 ( 1)
7. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2,945 (-1)
8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,670 ( 1)
9. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,540 ( 1)
10. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,530 ( 3)
11. David Goffin (BEL) 2,335 ( 3)
12. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,290
13. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 2,180 (-2)
14. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,125 ( 1)
15. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,050 ( 13)
16. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 2,000
17. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 1,840 (-9)
18. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 1,775
19. John Isner (USA) 1,770 (-2)
20. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1,747 ( 7)
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
