halophyten

Halophytes are plants that grow in soils or waters with high salinity, tolerating or requiring salt levels that inhibit most conventional crops. They occur in coastal ecosystems such as salt marshes, mangrove swamps, and tidal flats, as well as in inland saline environments like salt pans and saline deserts. Halophytes can be obligate, needing salt for optimal growth, or facultative, tolerating salinity but capable of growing in non-saline soils.

Plants adapt to salt through a combination of mechanisms. Some exclude salt at the root level, others sequester excess salt in vacuoles or tissues, and many possess salt glands or bladders that excrete salt. Succulent tissues, thick cuticles, reduced leaf area, and specialized root systems help manage water balance and salt loads. Some species alter stomatal conductance or use efficient photosynthetic pathways to cope with stress, while associations with salt-tolerant microbes can aid in nutrient acquisition.

Common examples of halophytes include Salicornia europaea (glasswort), Spartina alterniflora (cordgrass), Suaeda maritima (sea-blite), Atriplex spp. (saltbush), Avicennia marina (mangrove species), and various Limonium species (sea lavenders). These plants occupy a range of habitats from tidal wetlands to saline inland areas and can display varying degrees of salt tolerance.

Ecologically, halophytes contribute to coastal protection, sediment stabilization, and nutrient cycling. They have potential applications in saline agriculture, land reclamation, and wastewater treatment, and some species are used ornamentally or for edible or aromatic purposes. Research continues into their physiology, genetics, and use in mitigating salt-affected landscapes.