A groundbreaking discovery in plant biology could revolutionize global food production by addressing one of its major environmental stressors: soil salinity.
The study, posted on Nature, explains that soil salinity is problematic for crops, but there may be a way to make them more salt-tolerant. The team had been bioprospecting for beneficial microbes in stress-resistant plants as ways to support sustainable agriculture when they made the discovery.
They found that two novel strains of endophytic bacteria from the Agave desmettiana Jacobi plant, or dwarf century plant, displayed potent growth-promoting traits. The plant is a succulent native to Mexico and is also tolerant to heat, drought, and salt, making it an ideal candidate as global temperatures, and sea levels, continue to rise.
The team primed wheat seeds with the endophytes and saw enhanced germination, improved growth, and significantly increased yields during field trials, specifically in high-salinity soils. These findings could offer a way to increase food security for populations around the globe as salinity levels continue to rise due to environmental changes.
Saltwater intrusions on rivers and deltas have had serious impacts worldwide, with notable incidents across Asia. In Vietnam, there have been salinity spikes where it compromised water used for drinking, laundry, and showering.
A modeling study of that region predicted that by 2050, rising sea levels in the South China Sea will continue to drive salinity levels upward, making large rice-farming areas uninhabitable, according to Yale Environment 360.
The agave researchers hope their work leads to investment in further understanding and harnessing the biotechnical potential of the plant. Its resilience already makes it a unique candidate in other areas as well, spanning phytomedicines, bioenergy production, phytoremediation, and agribiotechnology.
Other studies have explored bioremediation methods to try to overcome pollution in soil. A research team from Washington State University discovered a bacteria found in wild soil that can help filter out the toxic heavy metal nickel.
Soil also needs proper drainage, or salt levels can build up over time. By using compost as a natural fertilizer in your yard or garden, you can not only increase nutrient levels, but also boost the soil drainage capacity.
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