De novo sequencing and assembly analysis of the Salicornia bigelovii transcriptome provide insights into salt tolerance

Current agriculture endeavors are unable to provide the food needs of the rising global population due to loss of agriculture land productivity caused by increasing soil salinity. A promising approach is the use of halophytes for farming in salt-affected soils. Unfortunately, little is known regarding the genome-wide processes governing salt tolerance in halophytes. The halophyte Salicornia bigelovii is used as a source of biofuels, oil seeds, and protein crops. The integration of halophytes into food crop production is the only way we will supplement food and energy production through sustainable utilization and efficient resource management to address soil salinization and the current water crisis.

当前农业生产因土壤盐渍化加剧导致耕地生产力下降，无法满足全球人口增长带来的粮食需求。利用盐生植物（halophytes）在盐渍化土壤中开展种植，是颇具前景的解决方案。遗憾的是，目前学界对盐生植物调控耐盐性的全基因组机制仍知之甚少。盐生植物毕氏海蓬子（Salicornia bigelovii）可作为生物燃料、油料作物与蛋白作物的原料来源。通过可持续利用与高效资源管理，将盐生植物整合入粮食作物生产体系，是我们补充粮食与能源生产、应对土壤盐渍化与当下水资源危机的唯一可行路径。