Transforming Barriers into Opportunities: Saline-Alkali-Tolerant Plants for Sustainable Agriculture Expansion

Global soil salinization and alkalization affect 10.7% of terrestrial ecosystems, critically threatening food security and ecological stability. Contemporary remediation strategies have evolved from traditional land reclaiming approaches to innovative biological solutions focusing on saline-alkali-tolerant (SAT) plant development, offering dual benefits of enhanced agricultural productivity and arable land expansion in marginal environments. However, significant knowledge gaps persist, especially regarding the systematic classification of SAT plant resources, their multilevel adaptation mechanisms, the identification of exploitable gene pools for precision breeding, and the synergistic interactions between microalgae and plants in soil amelioration. This perspective provides a comprehensive synthesis of the field spanning from fundamental research to practical applications. Notably, we propose a "microalgae-SAT plants-crop" tripartite symbiosis model that simultaneously facilitates ecological restoration through microbial-plant interactions, enables economic valorization of degraded lands, and promotes sustainable intensification of saline agriculture. By integrating molecular technologies with ecological engineering principles, this work provides both theoretical frameworks and implementable solutions for managing global saline-alkali land and promoting sustainable agricultural development.