Halophyte Common Ice Plants: A Future Solution to Arable Land Salinization

Danilo Loconsole, Bernardo Murillo-Amador, Giuseppe Cristiano and Barbara De Lucia
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Danilo Loconsole: Department of Agro-Environmental and Territorial Science (DISAAT), University of Bari, “Aldo Moro”, Italy Via Amendola 165/A, 70120 Bari, Italy
Bernardo Murillo-Amador: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), S.C. La Paz, Baja California Sur 23096, Mexico
Giuseppe Cristiano: Department of Agro-Environmental and Territorial Science (DISAAT), University of Bari, “Aldo Moro”, Italy Via Amendola 165/A, 70120 Bari, Italy
Barbara De Lucia: Department of Agro-Environmental and Territorial Science (DISAAT), University of Bari, “Aldo Moro”, Italy Via Amendola 165/A, 70120 Bari, Italy

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 21, 1-16

Abstract: The problems associated with the salinization of soils and water bodies and the increasing competition for scarce freshwater resources are increasing. Current attempts to adapt to these conditions through sustainable agriculture involves searching for new highly salt-tolerant crops, and wild species that have potential as saline crops are particularly suitable. The common ice plant ( Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.) is an edible halophyte member of the Aizoaceae family, which switches from C3 photosynthesis to crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) when exposed to salinity or water stress. The aim of this review was to examine the potential of using the ice plant in both the wild and as a crop, and to describe its ecology and morphology, environmental and agronomic requirements, and physiology. The antioxidant properties and mineral composition of the ice plant are also beneficial to human health and have been extensively examined.

Keywords: Mesembryanthemum crystallinum; functional foods; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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