Environmental and Management Considerations for Adopting the Halophyte Salicornia bigelovii Torr. as a Sustainable Seawater-Irrigated Crop.

Abstract

Salicornia bigelovii Torr. is a potential new crop for coastal and saline lands, because of the oil content of its seeds, its properties as fresh vegetable, forage, and other uses. As a true halophyte, it can grow with seawater irrigation. The aim of this study was to determine the phenology and water requirements of Salicornia as a new plant resource in growing areas for salt-tolerant crops in coastal and saline lands, and elucidate scenarios of sustainability about these issues. Water requirements were estimated in experimental plots on the coastal line and fulfilled with drip irrigation connected to seawater aquaculture discharge ponds, 30 m from the sea. The recorded phenological events were germination, flowering, fructification, maturation, and physiological death. Results reflect the difficulty to adopt it as a new crop because of its long-life cycle, around nine months, contrasting with the life cycle of common crops, from three to four months. Irrigation needs reached a depth of 240 cm, significantly exceeding those of conventional crops. Such limitations are highlighted, but also its potential use as a biofilter of coastal aquaculture effluents, being a productive target-biomass, feasible to be used as a dual-purpose use of water and energy required in aquaculture farms.

A Review on Sarcocornia Species: Ethnopharmacology, Nutritional Properties, Phytochemistry, Biological Activities and Propagation

“…In England, France, the USA, and Australia, they are also known as "herbe de Saint Pierre" (anglicized in the mid-16th century to samphire), "pickleweed", "poorman's asparagus" and "sea asparagus" [9]. The succulent shoots are highly valued in gourmet cuisine due to their crunchy texture and salty taste, and have a balanced nutritional profile, in terms of, for example, fiber, and antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C [10][11][12][13], making them an ideal food supplement [14]. They also contain valuable metabolites, such as polyphenolic compounds, displaying relevant health-promoting properties like antioxidants and anti-inflammatory [15].…”

Sustainable pilot‐scale production of a Salicornia oil, its conversion to certified aviation fuel, and techno‐economic analysis of the related biorefinery

“…Water is pumped from the sea to supply the aquaculture ponds to grow shrimp and finfish. The nutrient‐rich effluent that leaves the ponds irrigates and fertilizes fields of Salicornia bigelovii , a halophytic plant that is capable of growing in an arid environment with saltwater irrigation 27–30 . Finally, the effluent from the Salicornia fields goes into mangrove ( Avicennia marina ) swamps, which filter the water from any remaining nutrients before it reaches the sea again.…”

“…The nutrient-rich effluent that leaves the ponds irrigates and fertilizes fields of Salicornia bigelovii, a halophytic plant that is capable of growing in an arid environment with saltwater irrigation. [27][28][29][30] Finally, the effluent from the Salicornia fields goes into mangrove (Avicennia marina) swamps, which filter the water from any remaining nutrients before it reaches the sea again. The mangroves also act as a carbon sink, with potential value for carbon offset credit mechanisms (Fig.…”

Alteration in phenological parameters, above‐ and belowground biomass, nutrient contents, and their pools with phenological stages of Salicornia brachiata Roxb

“…Many studies have been conducted on phenological events (stages) of Salicornia bigelovii (Garza‐Torres et al, 2020), Atriplex leucoclada , and Suaeda vermiculata (Esfahan et al, 2010); biomass production capacity of Suaeda maritima (Das et al, 2015), Spartina alterniflora , and Spartina cynosuroides (Craft et al, 2002); nutrient contents and their pools in Sarcocornia fruticosa , Spartina maritima , Halimione portulacoides , Scirpus maritimus , and Sarcocornia perennis (Sousa et al, 2010b), S. perennis and S. alterniflora (Negrin et al, 2016). However, the information regarding the changes in above‐ and belowground biomass, nutrients content, and their pools with phenological stages at Indian coastal marshes is limited, particularly in the case of S. brachiata is more scarce.…”