Rising sea levels along coastlines not only threaten populations, but also pose a danger to agricultural crops, which may be damaged by surging amounts of saltwater.
Rising sea levels along coastlines not only threaten populations, but also pose a danger to agricultural crops, which may be damaged by surging amounts of saltwater. Researchers have, in response, sought to improve salt-tolerance in plants.
“This work reveals that just a few simple cell traits are critical to tolerating the extreme conditions experienced by some of the most distinctive and resilient plants in the world,” says Adam Roddy, an assistant professor in NYU’s Department of Environmental Studies.
Roddy is an author on a new study that focuses on mangrove trees—plants that grow along tropical and subtropical coastal areas where saltwater is abundant. The results showed that, compared to their inland relatives, mangroves have unusually small cells and thicker cell walls, which together provide the greater mechanical strength needed to tolerate saltwater while also preventing wilting.
Read more at: New York University
Photo Credit: olleaugust via Pixabay
