By Jamie Martin
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists, including geneticist Devinder Sandhu, are making strides in developing alfalfa varieties that can withstand high salinity levels. This innovation aims to support agriculture on marginal lands and with non-traditional water sources.
Sandhu, based at the Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit in Riverside, CA, focuses on alfalfa because of its importance as a protein-rich feed and soil enhancer. The new varieties can prosper on lands degraded by salinity or when irrigated with recycled water, thus conserving better-quality water for more sensitive crops.
The development process started with a selection from 2,700 alfalfa lines, narrowing down to 12 with exceptional tolerance to salinity. Further breeding and testing led to varieties that showed no reduction in biomass even when irrigated with water as saline as 1/3 seawater.
“Right now, we are focused on producing sufficient seed for broader testing and potential distribution,” Sandhu noted, indicating that these alfalfa lines could soon reach farmers, aiding agriculture in saline environments.
This breakthrough not only promises to transform alfalfa farming but could also apply to other crops, potentially benefiting a wide array of agricultural sectors by leveraging the inherent salt tolerance mechanisms found across different plant species.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-goodlifestudio
Categories: National