1. Understanding the salinity resilience and productivity of halophytes in saline environments.
- Author
-
Chen, Jiahong and Wang, Yuan
- Subjects
- *
HALOPHYTES , *SALT-tolerant crops , *QUINOA , *AGRICULTURAL productivity , *SALINITY , *LAND resource , *ORYZA - Abstract
The escalating salinity levels in cultivable soil pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity and, consequently, human sustenance. This problem is being exacerbated by natural processes and human activities, coinciding with a period of rapid population growth. Developing halophytic crops is needed to ensure food security is not impaired and land resources can be used sustainably. Evolution has created many close halophyte relatives of our major glycophytic crops, such as Puccinellia tenuiflora (relative of barley and wheat), Oryza coarctata (relative of rice) and Glycine soja (relative of soybean). There are also some halophytes have been subjected to semi-domestication and are considered as minor crops, such as Chenopodium quinoa. In this paper, we examine the prevailing comprehension of robust salinity resilience in halophytes. We summarize the existing strategies and technologies that equip researchers with the means to enhance the salt tolerance capabilities of primary crops and investigate the genetic makeup of halophytes. • Developing halophytic crops is needed to ensure food security is not impaired and land resources can be used sustainably. • The study of these halophytes will help us improve the salt tolerance of our existing crops and diversify the human diets. • We conclude the available strategies and technologies that enable the researchers to improve the salt tolerance performance of the major crops and the genetics of halophytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF