Utilization of Regional Natural Brines for the Indoor Cultivation of Salicornia europaea

Maria Fitzner, Anna Fricke, Monika Schreiner and Susanne Baldermann
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Maria Fitzner: Department of Plant Quality and Food Security, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Grossbeeren, Germany
Anna Fricke: Department of Plant Quality and Food Security, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Grossbeeren, Germany
Monika Schreiner: Department of Plant Quality and Food Security, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Grossbeeren, Germany
Susanne Baldermann: Department of Plant Quality and Food Security, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Grossbeeren, Germany

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Scaling agriculture to the globally rising population demands new approaches for future crop production such as multilayer and multitrophic indoor farming. Moreover, there is a current trend towards sustainable local solutions for aquaculture and saline agriculture. In this context, halophytes are becoming increasingly important for research and the food industry. As Salicornia europaea is a highly salt-tolerant obligate halophyte that can be used as a food crop, indoor cultivation with saline water is of particular interest. Therefore, finding a sustainable alternative to the use of seawater in non-coastal regions is crucial. Our goal was to determine whether natural brines, which are widely distributed and often available in inland areas, provide an alternative water source for the cultivation of saline organisms. This case study investigated the potential use of natural brines for the production of S. europaea . In the control group, which reflects the optimal growth conditions, fresh weight was increased, but there was no significant difference between the treatment groups comparing natural brines with artificial sea water. A similar pattern was observed for carotenoids and chlorophylls. Individual components showed significant differences. However, within treatments, there were mostly no changes. In summary, we showed that the influence of the different chloride concentrations was higher than the salt composition. Moreover, nutrient-enriched natural brine was demonstrated to be a suitable alternative for cultivation of S. europaea in terms of yield and nutritional quality. Thus, the present study provides the first evidence for the future potential of natural brine waters for the further development of aquaculture systems and saline agriculture in inland regions.

Keywords: carotenoids; glasswort; land-based aquaculture; seawater; phytochemicals; halophytes; salt composition; chlorophylls; artificial salt; saline agriculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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