Cape Verde’s insularity is one of the factors that contribute to its biodiversity and has aroused scientific interest in several domains.
A scientific study on samples of plants collected in Cape Verde gives new suggestions for the development of agricultural crops in soils where there is a lot of salt, influenced by sea water, read in an article published in the scientific journal Science Advances.
“Our findings reveal a knowledge -based method to develop salt -resistant crops, which can be attractive to both conventional and biological agriculture,” scientists indicate by detailing the laboratory experiences performed.
The article is shared by 15 authors of universities and research centers in France and Spain and, although not the first time that the resistance of plants to salinity is studied, the study offers genetic and biochemical evidence that can substantiate new biotechnological approaches.
“The salinization of soils represents a relevant threat to agriculture” and, in this case, the islands of Cape Verde “are located 600 kilometers from the coast of Africa and are characterized by arid environments and soils of high salinity,” the authors points out.
“We found that the Arabiapsis Thaliana plants native to these islands accumulate ‘glucuronil-monasis’, which protects them from saline stress,” a compound whose production scientists connect to a specific gene, designated GH38CV.
GH38CV mutation plants “have no growth defects, no aptitude or biotic resistance under standard laboratory conditions, but have better germination rates, longer roots, better water and greater aptitude than non -mutated plants when exposed to saline stress.”
According to the article, the mutations “evolved independently on two distinct islands within the Cape Verde archipelago”Saint Anthão and Fire, “illustrating an example of parallel evolution for salt tolerance in this environment.”
“Our findings can have practical implications for agriculture (…). In short, both synthesis and the application of ‘glucuronil-monasis’, as well as the directed genetic edition of GH38CV, offer promising strategies inspired by nature to increase salt tolerance and ornamental plants through biotechnological approaches,” they conclude.
Cape Verde’s insularity is one of the factors that contribute to its biodiversity and has aroused scientific interest in several domains.
In March, another group of scientists indicated that a type of tamalum that is supposed to exist only in Cape Verde can help similar trees to adapt to climate change and other problems.
