Lipids in halophytes: stress physiology relevance and potential future applications.

Abstract

Abstract The present environmental conditions impose serious constraints on typical cultivar farming. Halophytes are known to be highly resistant to harsh environments, withstanding drought and salinity while maintaining positive biomass production rates. It is known that, in adapting to adverse conditions, plants suffer some lipid remodelling to maintain membrane stability and the efficiency of the metabolic processes associated with these systems. This thus opens a new door for potential biotechnological applications based in added-value fatty acids (FAs) produced by halophytes. These can be used in the food industry sector, as some halophytes show very interesting concentrations of essential omega 3 and 6 FAs, even under seawater irrigation schemes. Another physiological consequence of growing under stress conditions is the accumulation of storage lipids in the highly productive photosynthetic organs. Along with seeds, these are the major sinks of triacylglycerols (TAGs) found in halophytes. Under stress conditions, halophytes are able to maintain their productivity while increasing the TAG content in their photosynthetic leaves, with high levels of saturated FAs; this would be useful in biodiesel production. Halophytes can, therefore, be considered sources of added-value FAs with applications in both food production and biotechnology.