The role of halophytes in phyto-desalination: mechanisms and potential

Abstract

Soil salinity has become a major global problem, caused by different factors such as climate change, industrialization, unsustainable agriculture etc. Over the past decade, scientists have conducted numerous studies to find a suitable, sustainable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly solution to alleviate soil salinity. With the identification of halophytes, which have multiple mechanisms to enhance their salinity resistance, phyto-desalination has garnered increasing attention. This review aims to identify various types of halophytes and evaluate their various mechanisms (morphophysiological and biochemical) for adapting to salt stress. A substantial part of this review also addresses the role of halophytes in phyto-desalination and how different halophyte species affect this process. However, further studies are still needed to identify the effects of different halophyte species on the phyto-desalination process, the impacts of salinity on the morphophysiological and genetic structures of halophytes, and the interaction of halophytes with microorganisms and elements in increasing phyto-desalination efficiency.