This study evaluated the effect of salinity and soilless media on the vegetative growth, phytochemicals, and antioxidant capacity of Trachyandra ciliata (wild cabbage) to develop its growth protocol and explore its potential as a natural source of secondary metabolites. Treatments consisted of different concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl), control- 0 mM, 100 mM, 200 mM, 400 mM, while different in vitro assays were used for phytochemical and antioxidant screenings. Findings from the study showed that low salinity (100 mM) significantly increased chlorophyll content, plant height, leaf number, plant fresh weight, and production of inflorescence, particularly in Peat-Perlite-Vermiculite (PPV) medium. In contrast, the control was the most productive treatment in plant dry weight except for the inflorescence. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in 200 mM of NaCl treatment in combination with PPV medium, which also produced the highest mean values for polyphenols, while 100 mM was the best for flavonols. Therefore, T. ciliata proved to be more productive vegetatively under low salinity in combination with PPV soilless media. A combination of 200 mM + PPV treatment was also recommended for maximum production of antioxidants for T. ciliata.

security and nutrition and promote sustainable crop production by 2050. However, climate change, increasing soil salinization and the inadequate availability of fresh water have negatively affected crop production around the world including South Africa, making it difficult to meet the required target. This necessitates the use of wild edible plants that are adapted to adverse conditions such as drought and salinity in order to mitigate this problem. The genus Trachyandra (Asphodelaceae) consist of three edible species (T. ciliata, T. divaricata and T. falcata) which are native to the dry saline environments of the western Cape coastal sand dunes. The genus is less studied with no record of cultivated species, although the existing literature states that T. ciliata, (wild cabbage) was originally used as a food source by the indigenous Khoi-san people who lived on the South African Cape coast. Colonization and removal of indigenous people from cultural lands led to erosion and detachment from the knowledge of the land and its useful plants. The species is used in selected restaurants where the inflorescence is steamed and eaten as a vegetable or added into a stew. This review explores the importance of Asphodelaceae family, T. ciliata as a vegetable crop and its potential as a pharmaceutical candidate. Furthermore, this review examines potential technological advances such as hydroponics that could be used for sustainable crop production of T. ciliata. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was utilized in the selection of articles in this review. The existing literature provided useful information on the potential of T. ciliata as a vegetable crop and the importance of using halophytes to achieve food security. This appraisal is expected to serve as a template for researchers, food enthusiasts, potential farmers and policy makers who may be keen in exploring further nutritional composition and medicinal potential of this plant.