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In view of the rapidly declining native plant cover due to existing harsh climate and uncontrolled grazing, Kuwait has undertaken initiatives to revegetate the desert land with native species to im...

Seed viability and germination are key factors in the success of restoration efforts, especially when stored seeds are used. However, the effect of seed storage on germination of most of the native...

The use of native plants in urban landscape projects conserves natural plant diversity, imparts a natural appeal to the landscape, and requires less water and nutrients than do exotics. Desert annuals like Horwoodia dicksoniae Turril. have seeds with physiological dormancy. We studied the combined effects of dry heat (50°C) and GA3 treatments on germination of Horwoodia dicksoniae. The results showed that the highest germination (88%) occurred when the seeds were subjected to a treatment combination consisting of exposure to dry heat (50°C) for 20 days followed by a treatment with 500 ppm GA3 for 24 hrs. The next best treatment combination (86%) was the combination of 10 days dry heat (50°C) followed by a treatment with 1000 ppm GA3 for 48 hours. This suggested that higher concentration of GA3 could compensate for shorter exposure period to dry heat.

Thirty five ornamental plants were introduced into the Ahmadi Bioremediated Soil Park to screen and closely monitor the growth performance of these new introductions under the local environmental conditions. Out of these 35 plant species, 15 were planted in both bioremediated and agricultural soils to assess their suitability for growing in bioremediated soils. Data on vegetative growth was recorded to assess the performance of newly-introduced plants, whereas, the heat stress was documented of Bauhinia blakeana, where no visible effects of petroleum pollutants on plant growth were observed. Performance of each plant group is discussed separately in the text. Overall, plant survival was 72.73% for all plant groups. Generally, plants that failed to grow in bioremediated soil also did not survive in the agricultural soil, indicating that they were sensitive to heat stress more than the presence of petroleum contaminants in the soil. New plant species that were able to establish and perform satisfactorily wi...

The State of Kuwait has initiated an ambitious national program to establish greenery in 20000 ha of open spaces in inland and coastal areas. Afforestation of intertidal zones with mangrove plants is being considered as a viable option for greening coastal areas. In view of this fact, experimental plantations were established using two ecotypes of Avicennia marina (Bahrain and UAE) and one ecotype of Avicennia germinans (Florida). The study consisted of two 10-year old plantations and two 2-year old plantations. Seedlings established successfully and grew vigorously on some of the locations within the site. Therefore, studies were conducted during 2002-2003 to describe and classify soils that supported maximum mangrove establishment and growth under the harsh arid coastal conditions of Kuwait. For this purpose, eight soil profiles (four each representing areas where seedlings established successfully and grew vigorously and where all seedlings died in the initial stages of establishment) were investigated...

Kuwait is a desert country characterized by harsh climate, poor soils, and scarce water resources. Several attempts have been undertaken to combat desertification in the arid country of Kuwait. These include the emphasis on the native plants through the mass planting of local plants to be further used in the desert rehabilitation, where seeds from the desert are being collected to be used for the natural re-vegetation process. Other attempts include the introduction of exotic ornamental plants that can endure similar harsh climatic conditions. Several studies are being conducted to enhance the greenery and beautification of the country. Xeriscaping is a recent approach used in Kuwait's desert landscapes. It is a low-water landscape concept especially developed to be used in countries with low rainfall and scarce water resources. More than 150 ornamental plants have been introduced and naturalized within Kuwait and yet around 200 more species are being examined for further introductions. A new study was al...

The State of Kuwait is making concerted efforts to enhance greenery along its coastline. This study was conducted during 1999–2002 for identifying key soil factors associated with successful establishment and rapid growth in Avicennia marina. Based on the review of available data, repeated visits to potential sites, on-site assessment and laboratory characterization of soils, five sites (Shuwaikh, Sulaibikhat I, Sulaibikhat II, Doha, and Sabiya) were selected for establishing pilot plantations. Acclimatized seedlings were used to establish these plantations. Periodic data indicated wide variations both in seedling survival and growth both among sites and at different locations within each site. The highest seedling survival (71.0 to 81.2%) was observed in the Doha site and ranged from 16.1 to 78.0% in other sites. In general, seedlings planted along the tidal line showed the survivability and produced greater number of branches than those planted farther away from the tidal line. Postplanting on-site and ...

Increased urbanization, coupled with harsh climatic condition presents difficulties in ornamental plant introduction and selection. Selection of plant materials is crucial in landscaping, as the plants should be well-adapted to the harsh environment. Selection of heat- and drought- tolerant plants is the efficient method for the execution of landscape projects locally especially when they are properly selected, placed and maintained. Several plants were selected to be screened for use in Kuwait's landscaping. The species in this activity were introduced from environments similar to Kuwait. These plants were initiated from seeds and cuttings. According to the nature of the seeds, they were treated to expedite germination and sown using different sowing techniques. Several seeds exhibited high germination percentages. Nevertheless, several seedlings could not thrive when drought stress in summer was introduced.

Soils of Kuwait contain little plant nutrients and organic matters to support plant growth and development. Soils water holding capacities are very small and need continuous irrigation to maintain water availability. Addition of organic matter in various soils of Kuwait in different time duration were observed and investigated. The effect of organic matter on soil physical and chemical properties were analysed and compared within the soil solution. High variation of macro and micronutrients were distinguished among different soil treatments with organic matter application. Plant nutrients increased in the soil solution with organic matter application enormously. Soil physical properties improved by the decreasing of soils bulk densities and increasing soil water holding capacities. Organic materials are available from many sources in Kuwait, mostly from animal, industrial and municipal waste. These materials can be utilized more efficiently for soil improvement and plants production. Most of organic mater...

At the conclusion of the Gulf War in 1991, more than 700 gushing wells discharged over 60 million barrels of crude oil, forming nearly 300 oil lakes that covered more than 49 km 2 of land surface. This contaminated approximately 40 million tons of soil. An additional 700 km 2 of terrestrial land was contaminated by oily mist fallout. Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research successfully tested and standardized bioremediation technology to significantly reduce petroleum oil contaminants in the soil. Preliminary results suggested that the bioremediated soil was capable of supporting plant growth without adverse effects. In the present study, growth of a number of ornamental plants in bioremediated soil was compared with that in normal agricultural soil to assess the suitability of bioremediated soil for use in landscape/greenery projects in Kuwait. Results indicated that the bioremediated soil did not affect the establishment of test plants, but influenced their growth to varying extents. Height increments ...