Salt-tolerant plants could replace pesticides and help crops handle drought
Mugwanya M, Kimera F, Zeid M, Sewilam H
Climate Adaptation
The scraggly, salt-crusted plants growing along coastlines and salt flats that most people walk past without a second look are turning out to be a source of natural pest control and stress-proofing for garden crops.
Halophytes are plants that thrive in salty soil where most crops would wither, and scientists have found that the chemicals these plants make, plus the microbes living on their roots, do double duty. They can fend off insect pests almost as well as synthetic pesticides, and when applied to regular crops, they help those plants cope with salty or dry conditions by boosting their internal defenses and keeping their water and mineral balance in check.
Key Findings
Halophyte-derived essential oils and secondary metabolites show biopesticide activity against pests that have developed resistance to synthetic chemicals
Halophyte-associated root microbial communities (rhizobiomes) and biostimulants help non-salt-tolerant crops manage osmotic stress and maintain ion balance under salinity
Ecotoxicological data suggest these halophyte-based extracts and oils are selective, harming target pests while sparing beneficial insects and soil microbes
chevron_right Technical Summary
Salt-loving plants called halophytes produce natural compounds that can repel pests and help ordinary crops survive salty, drought-stressed soil, offering a plant-based alternative to chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Harnessing halophyte phytochemicals and biostimulants to enhance crop resilience under climate stress: a comprehensive review.
Global food security is increasingly compromised by the synergistic pressures of soil salinization and the climate-mediated proliferation of resilient agricultural pests and weeds. Halophytes, extr...
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A halophyte is a salt-tolerant plant that grows in soil or waters of high salinity, coming into contact with saline water through its roots or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs, and seashores. The word derives from Ancient Greek ἅλας (halas) 'salt...