Halophytes of the Mediterranean Basin—Underutilized Species with the Potential to Be Nutritious Crops in the Scenario of the Climate Change

Abstract

Halophyte plants are adapted to saline environments and represent a novel type of crops given their possible uses at both culinary and industrial levels. In this work, the nutritional quality of different Mediterranean halophyte species, Atriplex halimus, Salicornia fruticosa, and Cakile maritima, was evaluated under conditions of high salinity. For this, plants were grown at different NaCl concentrations (0, 100, 200, and 300 mM) and the contents of proteins, total lipids, polyphenols, and mineral elements were analyzed as well as growth. Of the three species, C. maritima was the most sensitive to salt stress and therefore showed the highest phenolic compounds content. By contrast, whereas salinity increased the amounts of proteins and phenolics with respect to the control in A. halimus and S. fruticosa, it decreased them in C. maritima. Plants of A. halimus accumulated higher amounts of Na+ in their leaves, but the level of this ion, considering human consumption, was below that of other culinary halophyte species. In conclusion, all the results indicate that these three halophyte species grown at high salt levels represent optimal crops for—new foodstuff—production as green salt or spice due to their nutritional potential.

Nutritional and Functional Evaluation of Inula crithmoides and Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum Grown in Different Salinities for Human Consumption

“…Moreover, an increase in the crude protein content, around 14-19% compared to the samples cultivated at the lowest salinity, was observed in plants cultivated at the three highest salinities tested (275, 350, and 465 mmol L −1 ), indicating that I. crithmoides was significantly affected by the increase in salt stress (Table 1). A similar response was reported by Agudelo et al [13] for three species of halophytes (Atriplex halimus, Salicornia fruticosa, and Cakile maritima) under salt stress between 0 and 300 mmol L −1 . Salinity appears to have had a lower impact on the protein content of M. nodiflorum, as no significant differences between samples were observed.…”

“…M. nodiflorum grown at salinities of 200, 275, and 465 mmol L −1 accumulated Zn at concentrations of 19.4, 58.4, 43.0 µg g −1 , respectively. These values were significantly higher than those found for I. crithmoides, in the present study, or for other halophytes subjected to salt stress, such as Atriplex halimus, Salicornia fruticosa, S. ramosissima, and Cakile maritime [13,20]. This accumulation capacity of Zn has been reported for several plant species of the families Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, and Dichapetalaceae [35].…”

“…The increase in Na and the reduction in K, Ca, and Mg is reported in the literature for other species of halophyte plants subjected to different levels of salt stress during cultivation [13,20]. According to Flowers and Colmer [1], the decrease in K, Ca, and Mg can be associated with an inhibition of the accumulation of other macroelements due to excess sodium, resulting in an increase in the Na:K ratio upon exposure to salt stress, as observed in the studied species (Table 2).…”

“…This type of agriculture is particularly interesting in areas characterized by limited availability of water [11], as is the case of the Algarve, a region in the south of Portugal with growing interest in the production of halophyte plants. Cultivation in soilless systems has additional advantages in terms of increased productivity, product uniformity, and food security [11,12], as it enables the control and avoidance of hyperaccumulation of heavy metals by several halophyte species [13]. Currently, in Portugal, there are several ventures for halophyte production using different cultivation methods, which include controlled soil, hydroponics, and soilless systems.…”

Comparative Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activity of Four Major Medicinal Halophytes from Qassim Flora

“…The edible halophytes are a good natural source of trace elements for the local population [ 12 , 15 , 31 ]. The high contents of trace elements in these halophytic plants are also considered responsible for supplementing their antioxidants and supporting several other biological actions [ 32 ].…”