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Halophytes for Food Security in Dry Lands

  • 1st Edition - September 15, 2015
  • Latest edition
  • Authors: Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Munir Ozturk, Bilquees Gul, Muhammad Zaheer Ahmed
  • Language: English

Halophytes for Food Security in Dry Lands addresses the concerns surrounding global food scarcity, especially focusing on those living in arid and dry lands The book touches on… Read more

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Description

Halophytes for Food Security in Dry Lands

addresses the concerns surrounding global food scarcity, especially focusing on those living in arid and dry lands

The book touches on food crises in dry regions of the world and proposes halophytes as an alternate source of consumption for such areas. Halophytes, those plants that thrive in saline soil and provide either food source options themselves, or positively enhance an eco-system’s ability to produce food, and are thus an important and increasingly recognized option for addressing the needs of the nearly 1/6 of the world’s population that lives in these arid and semi-arid climates.

Including presentations from the 2014 International Conference on Halophytes for Food Security in Dry Lands, this book features insights from the leading researchers in the subject. It is a valuable resource that includes information on the nutritional value of halophytes, their genetic basis and potential enhancement, adaption of halophytes, and lessons learned thus far.

Key features

  • Provides comprehensive coverage of the importance and utilization of halophytes to compensate the demand of food in whole world especially in the dry regions
  • Contains insights from ecological to molecular fields
  • Includes edible halophytes as well as those that enhance food-producing eco-systems
  • Presents information for improving abiotic stress tolerance in plants

Readership

Researchers, professionals and students in agriculture, ecology and ecosystem functioning, botany, landscape planning, hydrology, and geomorphology

Table of contents

  • Foreword by Sheikha Abdulla Al Misnad
  • Foreword by Eiman Al-Mustafawi
  • List of Contributors
  • Introduction
  • 1. Characterization and Function of Sodium Exchanger Genes in Aeluropus lagopoides Under NaCl Stress
    • 1.1 Introduction
    • 1.2 Materials and Methods
    • 1.3 Results
    • 1.4 Discussion
    • References
  • 2. Multi-Temporal Soil Salinity Assessment at a Detailed Scale for Discriminating Halophytes Distribution
    • 2.1 Introduction
    • 2.2 Objective
    • 2.3 Methodology
    • 2.4 Results and Discussion
    • 2.5 Conclusions
    • References
  • 3. Nutritional Value of Chenopodium quinoa Seeds Obtained from an Open Field Culture Under Saline Conditions
    • 3.1 Introduction
    • 3.2 Materials and Methods
    • 3.3 Results and Discussion
    • 3.4 Conclusion
    • References
  • 4. Halophytes and Saline Vegetation of Afghanistan, a Potential Rich Source for People
    • 4.1 Introduction
    • 4.2 Methods
    • 4.3 Results
    • 4.4 Discussion
    • 4.5 Conclusions
    • Acknowledgments
    • References
  • 5. Comparison of Seed Production and Agronomic Traits of 20 Wild Accessions of Salicornia bigelovii Torr. Grown Under Greenhouse Conditions
    • 5.1 Introduction
    • 5.2 Materials and Methods
    • 5.3 Results
    • 5.4 Discussion
    • 5.5 Conclusion
    • 5.6 Acknowledgment
    • References
  • 6. Carbon Mitigation: A Salt Marsh Ecosystem Service in Times of Change
    • 6.1 Salt Marshes: Key Ecosystems
    • 6.2 Salt Marsh Sediments: Sinks or Sources?
    • 6.3 Halophytes: An Efficient Carbon Pump
    • 6.4 Out-Welling Carbon
    • 6.5 Hydrological Control of Carbon Stocks
    • 6.6 Global Warming and Carbon Stocks
    • 6.7 CO2 Rising in Salt Marshes: Improvement or Constraint?
    • 6.8 Final Remarks
    • References
  • 7. Food Security in the Face of Salinity, Drought, Climate Change, and Population Growth
    • 7.1 Introduction
    • 7.2 The Problem of Food Security
    • 7.3 The Problem of Salinity in Agriculture
    • 7.4 Fitting Crops to the Environment—A Place for Halophytes?
    • 7.5 Concluding Remarks
    • References
  • 8. The Importance of Mangrove Ecosystems for Nature Protection and Food Productivity: Actions of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme
    • 8.1 UNESCO Normative Tools to Ensure the Protection of the Environment and Its Wise Use
    • 8.2 The MAB and Its World Network of Biosphere Reserves
    • 8.3 Distribution and Socio-Economic and Environmental Importance of Mangrove Ecosystems
    • 8.4 Actions of UNESCO’s MAB
    • 8.5 Actions in Biosphere Reserves
    • 8.6 Conclusion
    • References
  • 9. The Potential Use of Halophytes for the Development of Marginal Dry Areas in Morocco
    • 9.1 Introduction
    • 9.2 Bio-Climate in Morocco
    • 9.3 Biodiversity in Morocco
    • 9.4 Vulnerability of Morocco to Climate Variations
    • 9.5 Problems of Salinity in Morocco
    • 9.6 Agriculture in Massa and Drâa Valleys
    • 9.7 Potential Use of Halophytes in Areas Affected by Salinity
    • 9.8 Youth Potential in Arid Areas in Morocco
    • 9.9 Conclusion
    • References
  • 10. Halophyte Transcriptomics: Understanding Mechanisms of Salinity Tolerance
    • 10.1 Introduction
    • 10.2 Transcriptome Sequencing Overview
    • 10.3 Applications of RNA Studies
    • 10.4 NGS Approaches for Salt-Tolerance Studies
    • 10.5 Genes Involved in General Metabolism
    • 10.6 Regulatory Molecules
    • 10.7 LEA Protein Coding Genes
    • 10.8 Other Genomic Elements
    • 10.9 Pathways
    • 10.10 Conclusions and Future Directions
    • Acknowledgment
    • References
  • 11. Sustainable Diversity of Salt-Tolerant Fodder Crop–Livestock Production System Through Utilization of Saline Natural Resources: Egypt Case Study
    • 11.1 Introduction
    • 11.2 Egypt’s General Characteristics
    • 11.3 General Characteristics of Project Location in Sinai Region
    • 11.4 Main Activities and Results
    • 11.5 Conclusions
    • Acknowledgments
    • References
  • 12. Insights into the Ecology and the Salt Tolerance of the Halophyte Cakile maritima Using Multidisciplinary Approaches
    • 12.1 Introduction
    • 12.2 Latitudinal Distribution and Taxonomic Diversity
    • 12.3 Dispersal and Environmental Adaptation
    • 12.4 Basis of the Tolerance to Salinity
    • 12.5 Cakile maritima: Model Halophyte for Future Research in Salt-Stress Physiology
    • References
  • 13. Exogenous Chemical Treatments Have Differential Effects in Improving Salinity Tolerance of Halophytes
    • 13.1 Introduction
    • 13.2 Materials and Methods
    • 13.3 Results
    • 13.4 Discussion
    • 13.5 Conclusions
    • Acknowledgments
    • References
  • 14. Food and Water Security for Dry Regions: A New Paradigm
    • 14.1 Introduction
    • 14.2 Water and Food Production
    • 14.3 Conventional Solutions
    • 14.4 Nonconventional Solutions
    • 14.5 Potential Uses of Halophytes
    • 14.6 What We Have Done
    • 14.7 Future Directions, Pitfalls, and Possibilities
    • References
  • 15. Genetic and Environmental Management of Halophytes for Improved Livestock Production
    • 15.1 Introduction
    • 15.2 Potential Forage and Crop Solutions
    • 15.3 Halophytes for Livestock
    • 15.4 Current Limitations in the Use of Halophytes for Livestock Production
    • 15.5 Genetic Improvement of Halophytes for Livestock
    • 15.6 Environmental Manipulation
    • 15.7 Conclusions
    • References
  • 16. Drought and Salinity Differently Affect Growth and Secondary Metabolites of “Chenopodium quinoa Willd” Seedlings
    • 16.1 Introduction
    • 16.2 Materials and Methods
    • 16.3 Results
    • 16.4 Discussion
    • 16.5 Conclusion
    • References
  • 17. Germination Eco-Physiology and Plant Diversity in Halophytes of Sundarban Mangrove Forest in Bangladesh
    • 17.1 Introduction
    • 17.2 Materials and Methods
    • 17.3 Results and Discussion
    • References
  • 18. Halophytic Plant Diversity of Unique Habitats in Turkey: Salt Mine Caves of Çankırı and Iğdır
    • 18.1 Introduction
    • 18.2 Study Areas
    • 18.3 Halophyte Diversity
    • 18.4 Economical Evaluations
    • 18.5 Medicinal and Aromatic Halophytes in Çankırı and Iğdır Provinces
    • 18.6 Conclusions
    • References
  • 19. Halophytes as a Possible Alternative to Desalination Plants: Prospects of Recycling Saline Wastewater During Coal Seam Gas Operations
    • 19.1 Introduction
    • 19.2 Materials and Methods
    • 19.3 Results and Discussion
    • 19.4 Conclusions
    • Acknowledgments
    • References
  • Index

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: September 18, 2015
  • Language: English

About the authors

MK

Muhammad Ajmal Khan

Affiliations and expertise
Qatar University, Qatar

MO

Munir Ozturk

Dr. Munir Ozturk (Ph.D) holds Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees from the Ege University, Turkiye. He is currently acting as the “Vice President of the Islamic World Academy of Sciences”and is also Fellow of the Islamic World Academy of Science. Dr. Ozturk has been honored as the “Foreign Fellow Pakistan Academy of Science”. He has served at the Ege University-Turkiye for more than 50 years in different positions, has been Founder Director of the Centre for Environmental Studies, Ege University, and Chairman of the Botany Department and Director of the Botanical Garden. Sideritis ozturkii and Verbascum ozturkii are 2 newly recorded endemic plant species from Turkiye in his name. His fields of scientific interest are; pollution & biomonitoring; biosaline agriculture; plant ecophysiology, medicinal and aromatic plants conservation. Dr. Ozturk has published almost 60 books with internationally known publishers including Springer, Elsevier,Taylor & Francis, Wiley and few others. His biodata shows more than 90 book chapters and 200 papers in international journals; 120 with impact factor. He has also presented 125 papers at the International Meetings and 85 at the National Meetings. Dr. Munir has served as a guest editor for more than 13 journals; holds more than 20 Memberships of “Institutions and Professional Bodies”; has been recognized by more than 12 “National and International Bodies”; has received fellowships from the globally recognized Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Japanese Society for Promotion of Science, and the National Science Foundation of the USA. He has also worked as consultant fellow at the Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia; and as Distinguished Visiting Scientist at International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, ICCBS-TWAS, Karachi University, Pakistan.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor / Researcher, Ege University, Bornova Izmir, Turkey

BG

Bilquees Gul

Affiliations and expertise
University of Karachi, Pakistan

MA

Muhammad Zaheer Ahmed

Affiliations and expertise
University of Karachi, Pakistan

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