Yuval Gedulter

Soil salinization poses a growing global threat to food security and is advancing in parallel with desertification. However, some plant species, known as halophytes, have evolved to thrive in saline environments. Certain halophytes mitigate osmotic stress by actively accumulating salt in their tissues, yet the direct role of salt accumulation in mediating biotic stress in halophytes remains insufficiently understood. This study tests the hypothesis that halophytes increase salt uptake as a defense mechanism against pathogens, particularly under high availability of silicon (Si), which facilitates salt resistance in plants. To investigate this, we conducted a controlled greenhouse experiment using the native halophyte Reaumuria hirtella, grown under various soil salinities, Si supplementation, and simulated pathogen attack via exposure to exogenous pipecolic acid (PA), which is a signaling molecule in systemic defense responses of plants. Our results suggest that salt stress can increase the electrical conductivity of secretion fluids of R. hirtella, indicating that pathogen stress might enhance salt uptake, especially under high salinity conditions. This research can enhance our understanding of salt-mediated plant-pathogen interactions and facilitate the potential use of halophytes in phytoremediation of saline soils.