PJB-2026-19
Genetic Engineering of Food Crops for Saltwater Irrigation: Toward Marine-Like Root Adaptation for Future Food Security
ferdi abdelghani
Abstract
Freshwater scarcity is emerging as one of the most critical constraints on global agricultural sustainability, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions such as North Africa and the Middle East. Increasing soil salinity and declining freshwater availability threaten the productivity of conventional food crops, necessitating innovative solutions beyond traditional irrigation and breeding strategies. This paper explores the potential of genetic engineering to enable food crops—such as cereals and vegetables—to tolerate irrigation with saline or partially saline water by modifying their root systems to exhibit marine-plant-like characteristics.
Drawing inspiration from halophytes and marine plants, the study examines key genetic pathways involved in salt tolerance, including sodium and potassium ion transport, vacuolar sequestration, and osmotic regulation (e.g., HKT, NHX, and SOS signaling pathways). The paper proposes an integrated genetic modification framework using advanced biotechnological tools such as CRISPR-Cas9, gene stacking, and synthetic biology to enhance root-level salt management mechanisms in strategic crops such as wheat and tomato.
The anticipated benefits include the expansion of cultivable land into coastal zones, reduced dependence on freshwater resources, and strengthened food security in water-stressed countries, including Algeria and other Arab states. The paper also critically addresses technical challenges, environmental risks, and ethical considerations associated with introducing marine-derived traits into terrestrial food crops. The study concludes that marine-inspired genetic adaptation represents a promising frontier for sustainable agriculture and calls for applied experimental research and policy support to advance this approach
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