In a world where saline soils rob agriculture of billions of dollars every year, a modest plant with succulent stems keeps growing where other crops perish. Salicornia, also known as sea asparagus, can withstand salt concentrations that are lethal to most plants, and it remains edible. A recent study published in Nature Communications has revealed the genetic mechanisms behind this remarkable tolerance.
Scientists from the University of Newcastle in Australia, together with colleagues from eight countries, analysed the complete genomes of six Salicornia species and studied the DNA of 318 plants collected from around the world. The study lasted five years and showed that salt tolerance is a complex trait that depends on several genes rather than on one. Among them were genes involved in perceiving salt stress and in metabolism related to protection against sodium ions.
Salicornia grows on coasts, in salt marshes and even in seawater. It accumulates salt in the vacuoles of its cells while maintaining a balance of water and nutrients. Such mechanisms allow the plant not merely to survive but also to thrive in conditions that prove fatal to ordinary crops. According to the study, these genetic traits could become the basis for breeding new varieties of wheat, rice or vegetables capable of growing on salinised land.
The problem of soil salinisation is worsening because of irrigation, climate change and unsustainable land use. The discovery of Salicornia's genes gives hope that some of these territories can be returned to agricultural use without additional pressure on water resources.
The genetic data obtained by the scientists can now be used in breeding programmes to pass these properties on to cultivated plants.
It is important to understand that the path from a laboratory discovery to field trials will take years, and the results are not guaranteed. Nevertheless, the work of the international team has already created a valuable collection of seeds and genetic resources for future research. This is a step towards more sustainable agriculture that will be better able to cope with environmental challenges.
Using salt-tolerance genes from the wild helps preserve the fertility of the land and reduce pressure on fresh water.
