Sesuvium portulacastrum, a plant for drought, salt stress, sand fixation, food and phytoremediation. A review

Overview & Synopsis

Sesuvium portulacastrum L. is a pioneer plant species, used for sand-dune fixation, desalination and phytoremediation along coastal regions. The plant tolerates abiotic constraints such as salinity, drought and toxic metals. S. portulacastrum is also used as a vegetable, fodder for domestic animals and as an ornamental plant. S. portulacastrum grows luxuriantly at 100–400 mM NaCl concentrations. It further grows at severe salinity of 1000 mM NaCl without any toxic symptoms on the leaves. The plant also produces 20-hydroxyecdysone, an insect molting hormone for use in sericulture industry. This review analyses research undertaken during last two to three decades in physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and biotechnology, to unravel the plasticity of the plant tolerance mechanism. Physiological and biochemical studies evidence the tolerance potential of the plant to abiotic stresses and reveal molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance. Biotechnological studies show the efficacy of the plant to produce pharmaceuticals. Large-scale multiplication of S. portulacastrum in the arid and semiarid regions should reduce the load of saline salts and heavy metals.