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From Halophyte Research to Halophytes Farming

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Sabkha Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Tasks for Vegetation Science ((TAVS,volume 47))

Abstract

The need for halophytes in saline agriculture is rising, as the increasing population seeks to feed itself with ever-decreasing soil sources and dwindling freshwater supplies. Two main steps are needed to establish sustainable halophyte farming: (i) the selection of an economically important and ecologically relevant halophyte and (ii) the development of good management practices for irrigation. The success of both steps will depend on the efforts of many actors in science, technology, environment, agronomy, industry and farming.

Crucial halophyte scientific missions are to work on the multiple uses of halophytes and their salt tolerance limits. Those investigations should also contribute to the understanding of salt mechanisms in halophytes.

In this chapter, we will show recent findings on the use of halophytes and their behavior under saline conditions, and discuss how the farmers, the industrials and consumers can benefit from such scientific knowledge to enhance the development of halophyte farming.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Plant Extremophiles, Centre of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, 901, Hammam-Lif, 20250, Tunisia

    K. Ben Hamed & C. Abdelly

  2. EA 2219 GĂ©oarchitecture, University of Brest, 6 Avenue Victor Gorgeu, CS, 93837, France

    C. Magné

Authors
  1. K. Ben Hamed
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  2. C. Magné
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  3. C. Abdelly
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Ben Hamed .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization (ISHU), University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan

    M. Ajmal Khan  & Bilquees Gul  & 

  2. Ecological Sciences Advisor – Ethiopia and African Union UNESCO Liaison Office in Addis Ababa with the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Benno Böer

  3. Botany Department & Center for Environmental Studies, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey

    MĂĽnir Ă–ztĂĽrk

  4. Environmental Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) Marine Environment Research Centre, Abu Dhabi, UAE

    Thabit Zahran Al Abdessalaam

  5. Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences, UNESCO Headquarters Natural Sciences Sector, Paris, Cedex, France

    Miguel ClĂĽsener-Godt

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Hamed, K.B., Magné, C., Abdelly, C. (2014). From Halophyte Research to Halophytes Farming. In: Khan, M.A., Böer, B., Öztürk, M., Al Abdessalaam, T.Z., Clüsener-Godt, M., Gul, B. (eds) Sabkha Ecosystems. Tasks for Vegetation Science, vol 47. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7411-7_9

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