Cadmium accumulation in Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S. Moore (Compositae) in heavy-metal polluted soils and Cd-added conditions in hydroponic and pot cultures

Abstract

We have identified Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S. Moore (Compositae) as a cadmium (Cd)-accumulator plant in a heavy-metal polluted environment. In soil polluted with Cd, 5.7–17.5 mg kg^?1 Cd, concentrations in the above-ground plant tissues were measured as 14.6–78.6 mg kg^?1 with transfer factors in the above-ground plant tissues (concentration in above-ground tissues/soil concentration) of 1.5–6.0. No other toxic heavy metals or plant micronutrients were found to have accumulated into the above-ground plant tissues. In a hydroponic culture with 1 µmol L^?1 Cd added to Hoagland's nutrient solution, Cd concentration in the above-ground plant tissues was 121.0 mg kg^?1, with a transfer factor of more than 1000. In a pot culture carried out for 9 weeks in a greenhouse, the highest Cd concentration in the above-ground plant tissues, 121.2 mg kg^?1, was found in a treatment with 5 mg kg^?1 Cd, whereas the highest Cd content in an above-ground plant tissue, 106.1 µg, was found in a treatment with 2 mg kg^?1 Cd. These results clearly showed that C. crepidioides is a Cd accumulator. In all samples, the Cd concentration in the above-ground plant tissues was higher than that in the roots. The results obtained in the present study show that this plant has a strong potential for use in phytoremediation in farm fields contaminated with Cd.     

Production potential of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni. under intercropping systems

Abstract

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana[Bert.] Bertoni.) is a crop of recent domestication in many countries. The cultivation of this plant in hilly and frost-prone areas provides an opportunity for intercropping of various food crops since the crop undergoes winter dormancy in India. This was studied through intercropping (additive series) at two spacings of the main crop, namely, 45×45 cm and 60×45 cm. Wheat, barley, lentil and gobhi sarson were intercropped. Intercropping reduced the production of S. rebaudiana up to 50% when compared to sole cropping. However, a row spacing of 60×45 cm resulted in less competition than the former, although, single cropping of S. rebaudiana produced the maximum stevioside. Intercropping with wheat increased the stevioside content when compared to other intercrops. The introduction of wheat resulted in higher monetary benefits at 60×45 cm spacing. Results indicated that reduction in S. rebaudiana biomass was mainly due to overlapping of the emergence period of the main crop with rapid growth and development of the intercrops. In conclusion, to lower competitive effects, the intercrop needs to be early maturity. Identifying suitable varieties for intercropping should be the priority research area to increase the productivity of the system.     

Horticultural practices and varietal diversity of chili pepper (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Capsicum annuum</Emphasis> L.) in Central and Northern Benin

Chili peppers play a significant role in the world diet and can contribute to the improvement of horticultural producers’ incomes. In Benin, chili pepper production is hampered by many challenges that need to be characterized, prioritized and addressed. Moreover, the existing diversity, as well as the agronomic potential, of the varieties being cultivated in Benin is still not well understood. In order to define the scientific basis for the improvement of chili pepper production and the preservation of its diversity, one hundred villages were randomly selected and surveyed in Northern and Central Benin by using participatory research appraisal tools and techniques. Twelve production constraints were identified, of which low productivity (19 %), soil infertility (18.5 %), drought (18.3 %), pests and disease susceptibility (17.9 %), early fall of plant organs (15 %) appear as the most important. In terms of diversity, 77 chili pepper varieties (40 from the frutescens group, 24 from the annuum group and 13 from the chinense group) including 72 local and five introduced varieties (Tataché, Yèyèkouka, Yèyèkouokourè, Côte d’ivoire and MC) were found. The number of varieties varies from three to seven (four on average) per village and from one to five by household. The proportion of loss of diversity per village varies from 0 to 75 % with an average of 26.61 %. Susceptibility to pests and diseases (37.1 % of responses), early fall of plant organs (11.6 % of responses) and susceptibility to drought (8.5 %), were the most important reasons given in attempts to explain the loss of diversity. Farmers’ varietal preference criteria are essentially agronomic (90.4 % of responses). The participative agronomic evaluation revealed that the varieties of frutescens group are significantly higher with respect to the evaluated variables, but they are less appreciated by the consumers.     

Evaluation of alternate menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) based intensive cropping systems for Indo-Gangetic plains of north India

The objective of the study was to determine the profitability and employment-generation potential of different cropping systems involving menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) as a component of sequential/intercropping in comparison with the most common paddy–wheat–green gram cropping system. Field experiments were conducted at Lucknow, India (26° 5′ N, 80° 5′ E and 120 m above mean sea level) for three years from July 2004 to June 2007. Menthol mint yielded the maximum fresh shoot biomass and essential oil (21.0 t and 151 kg ha^?1, respectively) grown after sweet basil (Ocimum basillicum)–potato followed by paddy–potato–menthol mint (18.9 t and 136 kg ha^?1, respectively) and maize–mustard–menthol mint (17.7 t and 131 kg ha^?1, respectively). Net returns of all the menthol-mint-based cropping systems were 82.6–354% higher than traditional paddy–wheat–green gram cropping system. Maize–garlic–menthol mint + okra was found to be most profitable (77,200 Rs ha^?1) followed by pigeon pea + sweet basil–menthol mint + okra (76,120 Rs ha^?1). Employment-generation efficiency was much higher in cropping systems involving menthol mint and vegetable crops, the highest (2.21 man days ha^?1 day^?1) being in a maize–cauliflower–onion–menthol mint + okra cropping system.     

Yam (Dioscorea ssp.) domestication by the Nago and Fon ethnic groups in Benin

Guinea yams (Dioscorea cayenensis-rotundata complex; D. rotundata Poir. and D. cayenensis Lam.) have been described as resulting from a process of domestication of wild yams of the section Enantiophyllum by African farmers. Although currently practised by few farmers, the process of yam domestication is still on-going in Benin. In order to document the practices used and the indigenous knowledge maintained by Nago and Fon farmers, 27 villages were surveyed. In total, 57 farmers domesticating yam were identified, and 68 yams newly domesticated (or in domestication) were collected. Fon and Nago farmers domesticate yam mainly to widen the genetic basis of the existing diversity or for simple curiosity. Among the three wild yams species (D. abyssinica Hochst. ex Kunth, D. praehensilis Benth. and D. burkilliana J. Miège) used, D. praehensilis is the most important and the most exploited. Tuber of the wild yams are collected either in the bush (most often near the village) or in the forests (far from the village) during hunting. The domestication process consists of bringing into cultivation selected individuals which go through intense vegetative multiplication and selection procedures (over a lengthy but variable period of time) that induce morphological and biochemical changes in the plant mainly at the tuber level. Individuals resulting from these manipulations were found to be, either similar or identical to known landraces or completely new based on both morphological and isozyme analysis. Because it leads to some new cultivars, this process of domestication has potential in yam breeding and appears to be a strategy that could be useful to breeders, while developing a methodology for participatory breeding of yam.     

Accumulation of lead and arsenic in Malabar spinach (Basella alba L.) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) leaves grown on urban and orchard soils

Ethnic vegetable crops are increasingly being grown in the United States and may accumulate heavy metals when grown on urban soils. This study evaluated accumulation of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) in tissues of Malabar spinach (Basella alba L.) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) grown on an urban and an orchard soil with Pb concentrations of 1,120 and 272 mg kg^?1, respectively, and As concentrations of 6.92 and 90 mg kg^?1, respectively. Tissue Pb was higher in both crops grown on both contaminated soils compared with an uncontaminated soil, while tissue As was higher on the orchard soil only. Malabar spinach did not accumulate Pb or As in its shoot, but concentrations of both metals were higher in sweet potato stems compared to leaves or tubers. Consumption of sweet potato stems should be avoided when sweet potato leaves are grown as a vegetable on soils with elevated levels of Pb and As.     

Variation of major minerals and trace elements in seeds of tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.)

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) contains protein of high nutritional value, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. It is one of the most important minor crops in China and has a great potential as a health and functional food. However, information on the elemental mineral composition of its seeds remains limited. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, K, and Mg in seeds of 123 tartary buckwheat accessions from the same cultivation were studied by means of flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The results revealed that the average concentrations of Cu (x₁), Zn (x₂), Fe (x₃), K (x₄), and Mg (x₅) elements in the accessions are 19.49 (with a range of 5.74–36.01 mg/kg), 27.41 (8.44–66.63 mg/kg), 656.24 (21.8–3,990 mg/kg), 3,639.23 (1,737–5,831 mg/kg), and 1,523.89 mg/kg (729–3,104 mg/kg) respectively. Among them, Fe concentration has the highest coefficient of variation (114.7 %). The results also revealed five significant positive correlations among Cu, Zn, Fe, K, and Mg concentrations. Therefore, distinct genotypes with high concentration of mineral elements should be effective for the development of special buckwheat varieties and improvement of its food nutritional quality.     

Ancestry and characterization of U.S. contemporary proprietary garden pea (Pisum sativum L. convar. medullare Alef.) germplasm

A major objective of this work is to elucidate the ancestry and genetic background of contemporary U.S. garden pea (Pisum sativum L. convar. medullare Alef.) cultivars used as cultivated vegetables. This is facilitated through pedigree analysis of 147 cultivars registered during the era from 1990 through 2010 by collecting data from U.S. Plant Variety Protection, U.S. utility patent, and journal publication. Proprietary breeding programs developed 141 cultivars and public programs six, with over half (82 of 147 cultivars) originating from the two (Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc. and Syngenta Seeds, Inc.) largest proprietary breeding programs. During this era, the semi-leafless (afila) trait was bred into cultivars to decrease lodging, and 43 % of the cultivars were afila. Registered cultivars were 86 % of determinate growth habit. Bi-parental breeding crosses were used in the development of 78 % of these cultivars. The lineages of the cultivars ‘Bolero’, ‘Spring’, ‘Genie’, and ‘Rally’ made large contributions to the genetic composition of this germplasm, ‘Bolero’ contributed 6.5 % (29 progeny), ‘Spring’ 6.4 % (29), ‘Genie’ 4.0 % (18), and ‘Rally’ 3.6 % (23) of the genes. The garden pea ancestor cultivar ‘Perfection’ fostered the most descendants (75) among the 147 cultivars of this era.     

Identification of potential areas for wild palm cultivation in the Republic of Benin through remote sensing and ecological niche modeling

Wild palms contribute significantly to food security and local economy in tropical areas, and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In light of this importance, eight palm species were explored [Borassus aethiopum (L.) Mart, Eremospatha macrocarpa (G. Mann et H. Wendl.) H. Wendl., Laccosperma opacum (G. Mann et H. Wendl.) Drude, Hyphaene thebaica (L.) Mart, Phoenix reclinata Jacq., Raphia hookeri G. Mann et H. Wendl., R. sudanica A. Chev., and R. vinifera P. Beauv.] as targets for conservation, domestication, and cultivation in Benin. Cultivation potential was evaluated in a coarse-resolution, first-pass effort using ecological niche models to relate known occurrences of each species to vegetation indices (VEG), gross primary productivity (GPP), and soil characteristics (SOIL), and model outputs were related to human distribution and land-use patterns. Results showed that wild palms responded differentially to different suites of environmental factors: some species showed best model performance with VEG + GPP + SOIL, others with GPP + SOIL or VEG + GPP, or with a single factor. Two species had broad potential distributions across the country; others had potential areas in the north (2 species) or the south (4 species). Raphia hookeri and R. vinifera showed greatest overlap in terms of ecology and distribution, whereas L. opacum and R. sudanica had the lowest similarity. These models constitute initial steps toward a sustainable scheme for planning exploration of the possibility of cultivation of these species.     

Agromorphological diversity of local Bambara groundnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna subterranea</Emphasis> (L.) Verdc.) collected in Benin

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is a neglected and less exploited species in Benin. However, the rational use of the different landraces available involves an appropriate knowledge of their characteristics. This study examined the characteristics of 52 local landraces of Bambara groundnut traditionally cultivated in Benin based on 12 qualitative and 11 quantitative variables, in order to expose those of good qualities. After a classification based on the morphological variables of the seeds, the experimental field was installed in a completely randomized device of blocks repeated three times. The collected data was analyzed with Statistica 7.1 and NTSYS PC 2.2. softwares using qualitative characteristics (Growth’s type, Stem’s hairiness, Flower’s colour, Leave’s shape etc.). As result, the number of morphotypes increased from 18 (out of classification) to 47. Therefore, it appears that the Benin collection of Bambara groundnut is broad in morphological variability. The analysis of the principal component of the quantitative variables revealed three specific classes within the collection. The most efficient variety which belonged to the second class, had a high field yield per hectare (> 1 t/ha). The Souhouloumankpa variety yielded the earliest (103 days after sowing) in addition to the high field yield. The study also showed a positive relationship between 100 seed’s weight, their length, the number of seeds per plant and the seed’s field yield in kg/ha. For a sustainable preservation and an improvement of the available resources, a molecular characterization of the Bambara groundnut landraces in Benin Republic needs to be done.     

Rice-wheat productivity and nutrient status in a lantana- (Lantana spp.) amended soil

Imbalanced and inadequate use of chemical fertilizers is responsible for low rice- (Oryza sativa L.) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity in many resource-poor farmers' fields. Wheat yields in post-rice soils are also constrained due to soil conditions created by puddling in rice, especially in fine to medium textured soils. Organic amendments are known to improve soil productivity under rice-wheat cropping by way of improving physical conditions and nutrient status of the soil, but their availability is restricted. There is a need to identify locally available and cost-effective organic materials, which have minimal alternate uses as fodder and fuel. We evaluated lantana (Lantana spp. L.) residues, a fast-growing weed in nearby wastelands, as a potential soil organic amendment. Yield trends, and soil and crop nutrient status in a 12-year rice-wheat experiment at Palampur, India, involving four levels (0, 10, 20, and 30 Mg ha^-1 year^-1 fresh mass) of lantana addition were investigated. Chopped lantana was incorporated into soil 10–15 days before puddling. Lantana additions at 10, 20 and 30 Mg ha^-1 increased rice yields on average by 18%, 23% and 30%, wheat yields by 11%, 14% and 20%, and total system productivity (rice + wheat) by 15%, 20% and 26% over controls, respectively, and at the same time saved NPK fertilizer. Linear regression analyses over 12 years did not show any change in yield trends of rice and wheat at P =0.05. Continuous cultivation of rice-wheat significantly increased total C, labile C, and other C indices of soils. Total N, Olsen's P, and NH₄OAc-extractable K in the lantana-amended plots were higher than in the controls. Nutrient concentrations in crop biomass, however, remained generally unaffected by lantana treatments. Results suggest that lantana residues, which improved the nutrient status of soil and system yield, have the potential for resource conservation and sustaining rice-wheat productivity.     

Optimum application level of winter cover crop biomass as green manure under considering methane emission and rice productivity in paddy soil

The combined seeding and cropping of non-leguminous and leguminous cover crops during the cold fallow season is recommended as an important agronomic practice to improve total biomass productivity and soil fertility in mono-rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation system. However, application of plant residues as green manure can increase methane (CH₄) emission during rice cultivation and affect rice quality and productivity, but its effects are not well examined. In this field study, the mixture of barley (Hordeum vulgare R.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa R., hereafter, vetch) seeds with 75 % recommended dose (RD 140 kg ha^?1) and 25 % RD (90 kg ha^?1), respectively, were seeded after rice harvesting in late November, 2010, and harvested before rice transplanting in early June 2011. Total aboveground biomass was 36 Mg ha^?1 (fresh weight basis with 68 % moisture content), which was composed with 12 Mg ha^?1 of barley and 24 Mg ha^?1 of vetch. In order to determine the optimum recycling ratio of biomass application that can minimize CH₄ emission without affecting rice productivity, different recycling ratios of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 % of the total harvested biomass were incorporated as green manure 1 week before rice transplanting in a typical temperate paddy soil. The same rates of chemical fertilizers (N–P₂O₅–K₂O?=?90–45–58 kg ha^?1) were applied in all treatments. Daily mean CH₄ emission rates and total CH₄ fluxes were significantly (p?<?0.05) increased with increasing application rates of cover crop biomass. Rice productivity also significantly (p?<?0.05) increased with biomass application, but the highest grain yield (53 % increase over the control) was observed for 25 % recycling. However, grain quality significantly (p?<?0.05) decreased with increasing cover crop application rates above 25 % recycling ratio, mainly due to extended vegetative growth periods of rice plants. Total CH₄ flux per unit grain yield, an indicator used to simultaneously compare CH₄ emission impact with rice production, was not statistically different between 25 % biomass recycling ratio and the control but significantly increased with increasing application rates. Conclusively, the biomass recycling ratio at 25 % of combined barley and vetch cover crops as green manure might be suitable to sustain rice productivity without increasing CH₄ emission impact in mono-rice cultivation system.     

Effects of domestication on structural polysaccharides and dietary fiber in nopalitos (Opuntia spp.)

Domestication is an evolutionary process that modifies morphological, physiological, chemical and genetic features of wild plants, and is a product of artificial selection. A gradient of domestication can be appreciated in species of the Opuntia genus. There are wild species like O. streptacantha, others semi-domesticated like O. hyptiacantha O. megacantha and O. albicarpa, or other like O. ficus-indica with the highest degree of domestication. At the same time, some structural polysaccharides have been associated with plant drought and freeze resistance. This study aimed at quantify five groups of structural polysaccharides in 14 variants of nopalitos (edible young cladodes of flat-stemmed spiny cacti consumed as vegetables) of Opuntia spp. in a domestication gradient. Given that extreme environment is less frequent under cultivation than in the wild, we hypothesized that structural polysaccharides in nopalitos are reduced throughout the domestication process. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with a 5?×?14 two-factor factorial treatment structure, with four replications. Mucilages, pectins, hemicelluloses and cellulose were extracted and dietary fiber content was calculated. ANOVA of data was performed, pair wise comparisons of species and variants were conducted by Tukey test and principal components analysis was carried out. Mucilages were higher in O. ficus-indica (12% of total dry mass) and pectins, loosely and tightly bound hemicelluloses in O. streptacantha (2.5, 9 and 3%, respectively). All five species had similar content of cellulose (5.1% dry mass); but, O. streptacantha presented more dietary fiber. Higher pectins and both loosely and tightly bound hemicelluloses content in wild species can be related to genotype and the persistence of reaction to a wild environment. Mucilages which are one of the main characteristics of consumer preference and loosely bound hemicelluloses could have impact for selection during Opuntia domestication.     

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees (kalmegh), a traditional hepatoprotective drug from India

Andrographis paniculata [(Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees, family Acanthaceae], commonly known as kalmegh is used both in Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicines for a number of ailments related to digestion, hepatoprotection, hypoglycaemic and as anti-bacterial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, vermicidal and antipyretic. Although kalmegh is extensively used in Indian Systems of Medicine, but it is not yet cultivated on a large-scale. The supply of herb is met from the wild growing populations which is now under constrain due to over-collection. Considering its value as a drug raw material, genetic variability of A. paniculata was augmented from different geographical regions of India by explorations and was conserved at the National Gene Bank, NBPGR, New Delhi. The therapeutic activity of the herb has been attributed to andrographolide, a bicyclic diterpenoid lactone present in the whole herb. Thirty germplasm collections of A. paniculata were evaluated for bioactive compound andrographolide to find out superior genotype for high drug yield. The andrographolide content in the germplasm was quantitatively analyzed by high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) at 232 nm. Results indicated wide variability among thirty accessions of A. paniculata for andrographolide content which ranged from 0.72 to 2.99 % on dry weight basis. DIVA-GIS analysis of A. paniculata germplasm for andrographolide content showed that diverse accessions of A. paniculata exist in three Indian states of Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Promising accessions having high andrographolide content were identified; IC520361 (2.99 %), IC520395 (2.86 %), IC399125 (2.81 %), IC369404 (2.77 %) and IC520394 (2.61 %). Due to the economic importance of the drug, these promising collections can be exploited for large-scale cultivation for their pharmacologically important constituents mainly andrographolide content and also can serve as potential source for breeding and improvement of cultivars for obtaining higher drug yield.     

Early changes due to sorghum biofuel cropping systems in soil microbial communities and metabolic functioning

Evaluation of biofuel production cropping systems should address not only energy yields but also the impacts on soil attributes. In this study, forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) cropping systems were initiated on a low organic matter soil (<0.9 %) with a history of intensively tilled low-input cotton production in the semiarid Southern High Plains of the U.S. Sorghum cropping systems were evaluated in a split-plot design with sorghum cultivar as the main plot and the combination of irrigation level (non-irrigated and deficit irrigated) and aboveground biomass removal rate (50 % and 100 %) as the split plot. The sorghum cultivars used varied in yield potential and lignin content, which are important features for feedstock-producing crops. Within 1 year, the transition from long-term cotton cropping systems to sorghum biofuel cropping systems resulted in increased soil microbial biomass C (16 %) and N (17 %) and shifts in the microbial community composition as indicated by differences in fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles. Additionally, enzyme activities targeting C, N, P and S cycles increased 15–75 % (depending on the enzyme) after two growing seasons. Increased enzyme activities (16–19 %) and differences in FAME profiles were seen due to irrigation regardless of aboveground biomass removal rate. Biomass removal rate and the cultivar type had little effect on the soil microbial properties during the time frame of this study. Early results from this study suggest improvements in soil quality and the sustainability of sorghum biofuel cropping for low organic matter agricultural soils.     

Haloxylon stocksii (Boiss.) Benth. et Hook. f., a promising halophyte: distribution, cultivation and utilization

Neglected and underutilized species often play a vital role in securing food and livestock feed, income generation and energy needs of rural population. In spite of their great potential little attention has been given to these species. Khar, Haloxylon stocksii (Boiss.) Benth. et Hook. f. (syn. Haloxylon recurvum sensu Bunge in Boiss.) (Chenopodiaceae) is a halophyte shrub naturally growing in the arid and semi-arid saline lands. The species has been used for making Saji and a number of other beneficial applications that include the use as fodder, folk medicine and plant ash as washing agent. Moreover the species is tolerant to environmental stresses, which make it suitable for cultivation in saline land of arid and semi-arid regions. One major factor hampering its successful improvement and promotion is the limited and scattered knowledge available on this species. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of H. stocksii by presenting information on species’ occurrence, ecology, uses, cultivation and ethnobotany to stimulate interest to promote its domestication and commercialization for regional and global markets.     

Nitrogen Dynamics Under Long Term Lantana Camara (L.) Residue and Fertilizer Application in a Rice-Wheat Cropping System

Long term effects of lantana (Lantana camera L.) residue and fertilizer application were studied on nitrogen (N) fractions in a Typic Hapludalf under rice-wheat cropping at Palampur, India (32°6’N, 76°3’E). After 12 crop cycles, lantana and fertilizer application showed an additive effect on the buildup of different N fractions. Hydrolyzable-N constituted 86% of total organic-N and 84% of total-N. All fractions of N except unidentified-N, non-hydrolyzable-N, and total-N were strongly interdependent and had a positive influence on grain yield and N uptake in rice and wheat crops. Serine+threonine-N was the most important fraction contributing towards grain yield and N uptake in rice and wheat. Fertilizers at 66% of recommendation plus lantana at 10 t ha^?1 maintained higher available-N than that under 100% fertilizers alone; the N content was same as 12 years before. Inclusion of lantana indicated net saving of 33% fertilizers plus higher yields and sustained soil health.     

A psammophyte Agriophyllum squarrosum (L.) Moq.: a potential food crop

Agriophyllum squarrosum is an annual psammophyte adapted to mobile sand dunes in arid and semi-arid regions of Central Asia. The species has evolved a range of physiological, morphological, and ecological adaptations to allow it to be a pioneer species of unstable, nutrient-poor, drought-prone and hot sand dunes. Local populations in the sandy desert regions of China consume the seed of the species during periods of food shortage, and refer to the plant as “shami” in Chinese, which translates as “sand rice”. The sand rice seeds have high nutritional value, containing around 23 % protein, 9 % lipid, 45 % carbohydrates, 8 % crude fiber and 5 % ash. The protein fraction includes the full range of essential amino acids required in the human diet. The lipid fraction comprises mostly polyunsaturated fatty acid. The ash fraction is rich in iron. Sand rice is a good candidate species for domestication to provide a food crop resilient to future climate change.