Saline crops: a contribution to the diversification of the production of vegetable crops by research on cultivation methods and selection of halophytes |
Dutch title: Bijdrage naar de diversificatie van de produktie van groentegewassen door onderzoek op de kweektechnieken en selectie van zoutplanten (halophyten)
Funder identifier: P101/2923210192 (Other contract id) Acronym: EG-AIRS Period: 1992 till December 1996 Status: Completed
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Institute |
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- Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Vakgroep Biologie; Laboratorium voor Plantenfysiologie (VUB), more
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Abstract |
The objective of this project is to domesticate a number of plant species, naturally growing in saline or brackish soil, which are locally gathered and consumed as a vegetable (Aster tripolium, Salicornia europaea, Crambe maritima and Beta vulgaris L. ssp. maritima). The endproduct will be a commercially interesting agricultural product, which can be cultivated as a horticultural crop. The contribution of the laboratory of plant physiology (VUB) in this project is to enhance the germination percentage and the uniformity of germination by means of a pretreatment of the seeds (priming, osmoconditioning). Seeds of wild species have in general a weak germination- percentage over a long time period. The development of a plant tissue culture of these species will facilitate in time the selection procedures. Finally growth optimisation will be investigated by varying the mineral nutrition of these plants. Special attention is focused on the Nitrogen nutrition in order to limit nitrate accumulation in these new vegetables. |
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