Mangrove Cells Hold Key to Salt Tolerance: New Study

Why in News

• A new paper published in Current Biology reveals unique cellular traits in mangrove plants that enable them to survive high salinity and flooding—insights that could help develop salt-tolerant agricultural crops amid climate change and rising sea levels.

Key Scientific Findings

• International researchers studied mangrove cells to identify mechanisms that allow tolerance to saltwater surges.
• Mangroves have independently evolved nearly 30 times over the past 200 million years, underscoring strong adaptive advantages.
• The discovered cellular traits could be replicated to engineer salt-resilient crops, crucial for food security in coastal and saline regions.

About Mangroves

• Mangroves are salt-tolerant shrubs and trees found in tropical and subtropical coastal areas near the equator.
• There are around 80 species globally.
• They grow in low-oxygen, waterlogged soils with fine sediment accumulation and cannot tolerate freezing temperatures.

Ecological Importance

• Act as natural bio-shields, stabilizing coastlines and reducing erosion from storms, tides, and waves.
• Dense root systems provide nurseries and shelter for fish and marine organisms, supporting global fisheries.
• Mangrove forests have high carbon sequestration capacity, making them vital for climate mitigation.

Mangrove Cover in India (ISFR-2023)

• Total mangrove cover: 4,991.68 sq. km (0.15% of India’s geographical area).
• West Bengal: 42.45% (largest share).
• Gujarat: 23.32%.
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands: 12.19%.

Government Measures for Conservation

• CRZ Notification, 2019 (under Environment Protection Act, 1986):
  • Declares mangroves as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs).
  • Restricts activities within a 50-metre buffer where mangrove cover exceeds 1,000 sq. m.
• Conservation and Management of Mangroves and Coral Reefs Scheme under the National Coastal Mission (MoEFCC).
• MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes) announced in Union Budget 2023–24 to promote mangrove conservation, livelihoods, and coastal protection.

Significance

• Strengthens climate resilience of coastlines.
• Enhances biodiversity and fisheries.
• Offers pathways for climate-smart agriculture through salt-tolerant crop development.

Sources: PIB & Current Biology