7. Conclusion

The increasing salinization of soil and water as a result of climate change, and the rise in the world's population (an estimated 9 billion people by 2050), mean that there is a real risk of food shortages. As a result, the domestication of halophilic plants is becoming an urgent necessity. Little is yet known about these essentially wild plants, but their adaptation mechanisms and particular chemical composition should inspire us to find natural solutions to tomorrow's problems (poor soil and water quality, insufficient human and animal nutrition, synthetic health products and/or those with undesirable side effects, etc.). In this respect, halophytes have a lot going for them, in particular their ability to grow in any natural ecosystem and their remarkable arsenal of bioactive substances. These open up a wide range of applications, from agriculture to environmental protection (restoration...