halofyter

Halofyter, or halophytes, are plants that thrive in environments with high salinity that limits growth for most other plants. They complete their life cycles in soils or waters with elevated salt concentrations, often higher than seawater.

They are found in a range of saline habitats, including coastal salt marshes, mangroves, brackish lagoons, inland salt flats, and dunes. Many halofyter are adapted to fluctuating salinity, waterlogging, and nutrient-poor soils, enabling them to persist where glycophytes would struggle.

Key adaptations include mechanisms to manage salt at the roots and shoots, such as salt exclusion, salt sequestration in vacuoles, and, in some species, specialized salt glands that excrete excess salt. Halophytes may also exhibit succulence, thick cuticles, and regulated stomatal behavior to reduce water loss. Biochemically, they use osmotic adjustment with compatible solutes like proline and glycine betaine to balance cellular fluids under salt stress.

Common examples encompass Salicornia (samphire), Spartina (cordgrass), Suaeda, and Atriplex, as well as mangroves like Avicennia. These plants are important primary producers in saline ecosystems, contributing to soil stabilization and providing habitat for diverse wildlife. Some halophytes are edible or pursued as crops, particularly Salicornia species, which are investigated for salt-tolerant agriculture and saline-water use.

Research on halofyter focuses on understanding tolerance mechanisms and applying them to land restoration, phytoremediation, and the development of salt-tolerant crops, aiming to expand cultivation in marginal saline lands and protect coastal habitats.