Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Suaeda salsa has great potential for environmental restoration in saline-alkali areas due to its stable survival under extreme conditions. However, research on its phenotypic, genetic, and chemical differentiation among different habitats is still limited. In the study, S. salsa from intertidal zones and saline-alkali inland areas in China was compared using morphological evaluation, psbA-trnH gene barcoding, and metabolomic analyses. The results showed significant habitat-driven differences in plant height, color, and individual size ( p < 0.05), although reproductive organ structures remained conserved. Genetic analysis revealed two distinct haplotypes, demonstrating a clear genetic divergence between the two habitat groups (intertidal and inland).The metabolomics analysis identified 699 differentially expressed metabolites. The study provides the evidence that the ecological divergence of S. salsa is driven by the environmental factors, and also lays a theoretical foundation for its germplasm protection and population restoration in coastal wetlands.
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
OpenAlex ID: W7213471453