Protection of Halophytes and Their Uses for Cultivation of Saline-Alkali Soil in China

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Over 800 million hectares of arable lands are affected by salinity worldwide. All crops cannot grow in saline-alkali soils due to high salt content. However, halophytes are a special category of plants that grow in saline soils. Halophytes have potential economic value as grain, vegetable, fruit, medicine, animal feed, biofuel feedstocks, and in greening and coastal protection. These also provide possible directions for the development of saline-alkali land. In addition, we are also concerned about the coordinated and sustainable development of the protection and utilization of halophytes. ABSTRACT: Over 800 million hectares of arable lands are affected by salinity in the world. In China, saline-alkali soils account for 25% of farmland and are underutilized. One sustainable strategy to make better use of saline land is to plant halophytes, salt-tolerant plants that can survive and complete their life cycle in media containing more than 200 mM NaCl. Halophytes have potential economic value as grain, vegetable, fruit, medicine, animal feed, and biofuel feedstocks, and in greening and coastal protection. Therefore, the cultivation and protection of halophytes is very important. In the past few decades, a lot of work has been done on the protection and utilization of halophytes in saline soil improvement and development worldwide. This article focuses on the distribution of saline-alkali conditions and current measures to protect halophytes, as well as the application of halophytes in the sustainable development of saline-alkali land. This information is helpful for protection and utilization of halophytes in the sustainable development of saline land worldwide.