Halophytes

A halophyte is a plant that can survive in and near salty environments like Mangroves. These plants may spend their entire lives in extremely salty conditions. Halophytes are most usually found growing near coastal shorelines, although they can also grow in swamps, marshlands, and desert environments. Some halophytes are facultative, meaning they can survive in the presence or absence of saline. Other halophytes, referred to as obligatory halophytes, can only live in environments with high salt concentrations. According to researchers, only about 2% of plant species are classified as halophytes.

Characteristics of Halophyte Plants

The halophyte is a one-of-a-kind plant that can withstand salt. They can thrive and reproduce in soils with high salt concentrations, while other plants struggle to survive. Coastal locations, irrigated plains with poor drainage in the tropics, saline semi-deserts, and mangrove swamps are just a few of the environments where halophytes can be found. Despite this, they make up only 2% of terrestrial plant species and a small percentage of flowering plants (2600 out of 400 000), with only a small proportion of halophytes being domesticated and used as food and fodder.

Most crucially, because halophytes can be irrigated with seawater without losing productivity, they are a viable choice for degraded areas affected by salinization. Despite their distinctive traits, the wide range of potential of halophyte plants with varying degrees of salinity tolerance has yet to be explored. 

The ecological value of halophytes in the face of climate change is underscored by their ability to adapt to habitats. Because halophytic flora is important for preserving coastal habitats and ecological stability, they are frequently used as dune binders to prevent erosion and seawater intrusion into freshwater ecosystems.

Types of Halophytes 

Aquatic Haline Halophytes

Plants that are almost fully submerged in saltwater are known as aquatic-haline plants. Only the root system and a tiny piece of the plant are sometimes submerged. Emergent halophytes are a type of aquatic-haline plant.

Terrestro Haline Halophytes

Plants that grow in high-saline soil are known as terrestrial-haline. Only the roots and soil come into contact with the Salt in this situation. Except for marshes, all plants are found in arid habitats. Xero-halophytes are terrestrial-haline plants that grow on dry land.

Aero- Haline Plants

Aero-haline plants come into touch with Salt by moving saltwater droplets in the air. These saltwater droplets are most commonly encountered around the coast, where ocean waves pounding against the shore produce saltwater spray, and fog carries saltwater over the coastline. Dust flying through desert-like terrain, on the other hand, can carry Salt, which is deposited on neighbouring vegetation.

Mangrove

The word “Mangrove” is thought to be a mixture of the Portuguese words “Mangue” and “grove” in English. Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants found throughout the world’s tropical and subtropical intertidal zones. The Mangrove ecosystem refers to the specific areas where these plants grow. They’re tremendously productive, but they’re also extremely sensitive and fragile. Aside from mangroves, the ecosystem is home to various plant and animal species.

The ecosystem’s foes are anthropological forces and natural disasters. The pollution of these places is being caused by the expansion of industrial districts along the coastlines and the discharge of domestic and industrial sewage. Numerous studies have identified these issues, and conservation actions are being addressed.

Mangrove ecosystems near the coast have been shown to save lives and property during natural disasters such as cyclones, storm surges, and erosion. The economic importance of these ecosystems is also well established. Many estuarine and marine creatures use them as breeding, feeding, and rearing grounds. As a result, captive and cultural fisheries are conducted in these places. Natural foods beneficial for therapeutic purposes, salt production, apiculture, fuel and fodder, etc., have significant untapped potential in the environment.

According to the distribution of mangrove ecosystems throughout Indian coastlines, the Sundarban mangroves occupy the most area, followed by the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and Gujarat’s Gulf of Kachchi. The rest of the mangrove habitats are much smaller. Nonetheless, much research has been conducted in nearly all habitats. These habitats have been home to around 1600 plant and 3700 animal species.

Conclusion

Plants naturally adapted to salinity are known as halophytes, and they are used as models to study stress tolerance in plants. They have mechanisms to cope with osmotic, ionic, and oxidative stressors, such as osmotic adjustment, sodium compartmentalization and secretion, K+ retention, and ROS homeostasis. Nitric oxide has improved these pathways in recent research (NO). NO increased halophyte tolerance to various stresses, including drought, waterlogging, and mechanical wounding, mostly through activating antioxidant mechanisms. This discovery confirms the existence of considerable cross-talk between oxidative and nitrosative signalling, which may be responsible for halophytes’ tolerance to salinity and various stressors.