Evaluating the nutritional, therapeutic, and economic potential of Tetragonia decumbens Mill.: a promising wild leafy vegetable for bio-saline agriculture in South Africa

Abstract

obal agriculture feeds over seven billion people and alarmingly, this number is expected to increase by a further 50% by 2050. To meet the additional food demand, the world development report has estimated that crop production should increase by 70–100%by2050.However, climate change, expanding soil salinization, and the developing shortages of freshwater have negatively affectedcropproduction of edible plants around the world. Current attempts to adapt to these conditions include the use of salt-tolerant plant species with potential economic value to fulfiltheincreasing food demand escalated by the increasing human population. The wild edible halophyte Tetragonia decumbens commonly known as dune spinach has the potential to be used as a leafy vegetable, a source of dietary salt,inphytoremediationandas a source of secondary metabolites. However, it remains underutilized in South Africa as commercial farming of this species has never been explored. This review examined the potential of domesticating the wild dune spinach as a leafy vegetable, describing its morphology and ecology, its propagation and cultivation requirements as well as its potential use on human health and in phytoremediation of saline soils. Furthermore, this analysis is expected to be useful towards.