Evaluation of Nipa perennial seed-forage plant (Distichlis palmeri) in order to develop agricultural sustainability of coastal saline ecosystems

Nipa with the scientific name Distichlis palmeri is a perennial plant of the Poaceae family that tolerates irrigation with salt water. It is a drought-tolerant plant native to the northern shores of the Gulf of California in Mexico, growing in salt marshes influenced by ocean tides. This plant is a wild type and produces grains like wheat. Nipa seeds provide most of the food needed by Cocopah natives in the Rio Colorado Delta. Researchers have studied the physiological, anatomical, genetic and agronomic potential of this valuable plant as a potential food crop. The researchers found that nipa seeds would germinate in a salinity range of 0-30 grams per liter of water and between 60 and 93%. The relative growth rate of the nipa plant in two types of flooded and non-flooded soils affected by salinity (30 grams of salt per liter) reaches about 50% of the plant's relative growth in freshwater. This perennial seed, now considered one of the most important species for centuries, is a plant suitable for saline tropical regions and beyond. Nipa development should be a high priority for institutions and officials concerned with food security, desalination, and climate change. It also provides an opportunity for entrepreneurship and agricultural development to develop, rehabilitate, and protect coastal areas from severe weather events.