Characterization of biochar produced from sewage sludge and its potential use as a substrate and plant growth improver.

Biochar is a product rich in carbon produced by pyrolysis of different kinds of biomass and it modifies the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. In this study, biochar, produced at different pyrolysis temperatures (590 °C, 665 °C, and 765 °C), was physico-chemically characterized. It was explored whether biochar made from sewage sludge can become an alternative solution for future water and phosphorus management in agricultural production. A pot experiment was conducted using Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) to investigate the effect of applying different biochars to the substrate, taking into account different growth parameters and the biochemical composition of the plants, as well as the physico-chemical properties of the substrate. According to the results, pyrolysis temperature influences the content of elements in biochar and their availability to plants, with total phosphorus contents in biochar ranging from 4.6% to 4.9%. In addition, applying biochar to the substrate significantly increases the volumetric water content up to 4.5 fold more compared to the control, which indicates a promising application in drought stress conditions and, at the same time, is a source of nutrients and can help to reduce the amount of mineral fertilizer application.

Compositional Changes in Hydroponically Cultivated Salicornia europaea at Different Growth Stages.

Abiotic stress conditions, such as salinity, affect plant development and productivity and threaten the sustainability of agricultural production. Salt has been proven to accumulate in soil and water over time as a result of various anthropogenic activities and climatic changes. Species of the genus Salicornia thrive in the most saline environments and have a wide climatic tolerance. They can be found in a variety of subtropical, oceanic, and continental environments. This study aims to establish Salicornia europaea as a novel source of plant-based compounds that can grow in areas unsuitable for other crops. The morphological and compositional changes in the tissues of S. europaea in different consecutive developmental stages have not been investigated so far. Therefore, a comprehensive study of changes during the lifecycle of S. europaea was carried out, following changes in the plant's composition, including biomass yield, and soluble and insoluble compounds. For this, plants were cultivated in hydroponics for 15 weeks and harvested weekly to analyze biomass production, to determine soluble and insoluble compounds, protein content, and polyphenols. According to the results, glucan, xylan, and lignin increase with plant age, while water extractives decrease. Protein content is higher in young plants, while flavonoid content depends on the phenological stage, decreasing in the early flowering stage and then increasing as plants enter early senescence. Our results can aid in finding the optimal harvesting stage of S. europaea, depending on the component of interest.

Elevated CO2 mitigates the impact of drought stress by upregulating glucosinolate metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Elevated CO2 (eCO2 ) reduces the impact of drought, but the mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. Therefore, we used a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the interaction of drought and eCO2 in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. Transcriptome and subsequent metabolite analyses identified a strong induction of the aliphatic glucosinolate (GL) biosynthesis as a main effect of eCO2 in drought-stressed leaves. Transcriptome results highlighted the upregulation of ABI5 and downregulation of WRKY63 transcription factors (TF), known to enhance and inhibit the expression of genes regulating aliphatic GL biosynthesis (e.g., MYB28 and 29 TFs), respectively. In addition, eCO2 positively regulated aliphatic GL biosynthesis by MYB28/29 and increasing the accumulation of GL precursors. To test the role of GLs in the stress-mitigating effect of eCO2 , we investigated the effect of genetic perturbations of the GL biosynthesis. Overexpression of MYB28, 29 and 76 improved drought tolerance by inducing stomatal closure and maintaining plant turgor, whereas loss of cyp79f genes reduced the stress-mitigating effect of eCO2 and decreased drought tolerance. Overall, the crucial role of GL metabolism in drought stress mitigation by eCO2 could be a beneficial trait to overcome future climate challenges.

Cultivation and characterisation of Salicornia europaea, Tripolium pannonicum and Crithmum maritimum biomass for green biorefinery applications.

Salt-tolerant halophytes have shown potential for biorefinery and agricultural use in salt-affected soils, increasing the value of marginal lands. They could provide a bio-based source for compounds obtained from the petrochemical industry or an alternative for biomass currently imported overseas. Salicornia europaea, Tripolium pannonicum and Crithmum maritimum were cultivated in hydroponic systems under various salinity conditions, harvested green but not food-grade, and fractionated to green juice and fibre residue. Obtained fractions were characterised for contents of carbohydrates, Klason lignin, crude protein, organic acids, lipids, and minerals to evaluate the biomass' suitability for biorefinery. Significant differences were observed in the biomass yield and the composition of the biomass fractions from different cultivation salinities. High concentrations of crude protein were found. Thus, these species could have the potential for green protein production. Fractions rich in carbohydrates could be used for lignocellulose processing and processes utilising micro-organisms.

First experimental evidence suggests use of glucobrassicin as source of auxin in drought-stressed Arabidopsis thaliana.

The synthesis of indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN) from the indolic glucosinolate (iGSL) glucobrassicin (GB) is a unique trait of members of the Brassicales. To assess the contribution of this pathway to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis under stress conditions, drought stress (DS) experiments with Arabidopsis thaliana were performed in vitro. Analysis of GSLs in DS plants revealed higher contents of GB in shoots and roots compared to control plants. Deuterium incorporation experiments showed the highest turnover of GB compared to all other GSLs during drought conditions. Evidence suggests the involvement of the thioglucosidase BGLU18 in the degradation of GB. The nitrile specifier proteins NSP1 and NSP5 are known to direct the GSL hydrolysis towards formation of IAN. Nitrilases like NIT2 are able to subsequently synthesize IAA from IAN. Expression of BGLU18, NSP1, NSP5 and NIT2 and contents of GB, IAN and IAA were significantly elevated in DS plants compared to control plants suggesting the increased use of GB as IAA source. Significantly higher contents of reactive oxygen species in DS bglu18 and epithionitrile specifier protein (esp) mutants compared to Col-0 indicate higher stress levels in these mutants highlighting the need for both proteins in DS plants. Furthermore, GB accumulation in leaves was higher in both mutants during DS when compared to Col-0 indicating enhanced synthesis of GB due to a lack of breakdown products. This work provides the first evidence for the breakdown of iGSLs to IAN which seems to be used for synthesis of IAA in DS A. thaliana plants.

Current advances in seagrass research: A review from Viet Nam.

Seagrass meadows provide valuable ecosystem services but are fragile and threatened ecosystems all over the world. This review highlights the current advances in seagrass research from Viet Nam. One goal is to support decision makers in developing science-based conservation strategies. In recent years, several techniques were applied to estimate the size of seagrass meadows. Independent from the method used, there is an alarming decline in the seagrass area in almost all parts of Viet Nam. Since 1990, a decline of 46.5% or 13,549 ha was found. Only in a few protected and difficult-to-reach areas was an increase observed. Conditions at those sites could be investigated in more detail to make suggestions for conservation and recovery of seagrass meadows. Due to their lifestyle and morphology, seagrasses take up compounds from their environment easily. Phytoremediation processes of Thalassia hemprichii and Enhalus acoroides are described exemplarily. High accumulation of heavy metals dependent on their concentration in the environment in different organs can be observed. On the one hand, seagrasses play a role in phytoremediation processes in polluted areas; on the other hand, they might suffer at high concentrations, and pollution will contribute to their overall decline. Compared with the neighboring countries, the total C org stock from seagrass beds in Viet Nam was much lower than in the Philippines and Indonesia but higher than that of Malaysia and Myanmar. Due to an exceptionally long latitudinal coastline of 3,260 km covering cool to warm water environments, the seagrass species composition in Viet Nam shows a high diversity and a high plasticity within species boundaries. This leads to challenges in taxonomic issues, especially with the Halophila genus, which can be better deduced from genetic diversity/population structures of members of Hydrocharitaceae. Finally, the current seagrass conservation and management efforts in Viet Nam are presented and discussed. Only decisions based on the interdisciplinary cooperation of scientists from all disciplines mentioned will finally lead to conserve this valuable ecosystem for mankind and biodiversity.

An Overview of Soil and Soilless Cultivation Techniques-Chances, Challenges and the Neglected Question of Sustainability.

Resources such as fertile soil and clean water are already limited in many parts of the world. Additionally, the conventional use of arable land is becoming increasingly difficult, which is further exacerbated by climate change. Soilless cultivation systems do not only offer the opportunity to save water and cultivate without soil but also the chance to open up urban areas such as residential rooftops for food production in close proximity to consumers. In this review, applications of soilless farming systems are identified and compared to conventional agriculture. Furthermore, aspects of economic viability, sustainability and current developments are investigated. An insight into the most important soilless farming systems-hydroponics, aquaponics and vertical farming-is provided. The systems are then differentiated from each other and, as far as possible, evaluated in terms of their environmental impact and compared with conventional cultivation methods. Comparing published data analyzing the yield of hydroponic cultivation systems in comparison to soil-based cultivation methods enables a basic overview of the profitability of both methods and, thus, lays the foundation for future research and practical applications. The most important inert substrates for hydroponic applications are presented, and their degree of sustainability is compared in order to emphasize environmental impacts and affect substrate selections of future projects. Based on an assessment of the most important soilless cultivation systems, the challenges and developments of current techniques are highlighted and discussed.

Analysis of rDNA reveals a high genetic diversity of Halophila major in the Wallacea region.

The genus Halophila shows the highest species diversity within the seagrass genera. Southeast Asian countries where several boundary lines exist were considered as the origin of seagrasses. We hypothesize that the boundary lines, such as Wallace's and Lydekker's Lines, may act as marine geographic barriers to the population structure of Halophila major. Seagrass samples were collected at three islands in Vietnamese waters and analyzed by the molecular maker ITS. These sequences were compared with published ITS sequences from seagrasses collected in the whole region of interest. In this study, we reveal the haplotype and nucleotide diversity, linking population genetics, phylogeography, phylogenetics and estimation of relative divergence times of H. major and other members of the Halophila genus. The morphological characters show variation. The results of the ITS marker analysis reveal smaller groups of H. major from Myanmar, Shoalwater Bay (Australia) and Okinawa (Japan) with high supporting values. The remaining groups including Sri Lanka, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Two Peoples Bay (Australia) and Tokushima (Japan) showed low supporting values. The Wallacea region shows the highest haplotype and also nucleotide diversity. Non-significant differences were found among regions, but significant differences were presented among populations. The relative divergence times between some members of section Halophila were estimated 2.15-6.64 Mya.

Na2SO4 and NaCl salts differentially modulate the antioxidant systems in the highly stress tolerant halophyte Prosopis strombulifera.

Prosopis strombulifera (Lam.) Benth. is a halophytic shrub abundant in high-salinity areas in central Argentina, with high tolerance against NaCl but strong growth inhibition by Na2SO4. In the present study, the modulation of the antioxidant systems (enzymatic and non-enzymatic components) was analyzed under different salt treatments (NaCl, Na2SO4 and the iso-osmotic mixture) in hydroponic cultivation. Na2SO4-treated plants showed strong indications of oxidative stress (H2O2 and O2-• increase). Modifications in antioxidant enzymes activities were observed mainly under Na2SO4 treatment, where CAT seems to play an important role in early detoxification of H2O2 in roots, whereas SOD and APX have a predominant role in leaves. As part of the non-enzymatic system, 21 compounds were identified in leaves, being polyphenols the most abundant. Control plants contained the major variety of detected phytochemicals (14). Na2SO4-treated plants contained 10 compounds and NaCl-treated plants nine compounds, but with a different profile. NaCl-treated plants showed the highest antioxidant capacity. Our findings confirm that different types of salt treatments provoke a differential modulation of the antioxidant systems. Polyphenols and other ROS-detoxifying compounds, in a joint action with the enzymatic antioxidant system, are proposed to have a fundamental role in the cellular protection of P. strombulifera plants under severe oxidative stress. Our findings also highlight the potential of this halophyte as a valuable source of bioactive compounds with high antioxidant activity and health benefits.

Current knowledge about Na2SO4 effects on plants: what is different in comparison to NaCl?

In some areas of the world, high levels of sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) are found in the soil together with sodium chloride (NaCl). However, most studies on salinity are performed utilizing only NaCl as a salinizing agent. Generally, plant species have different tolerance/susceptibility responses when grown in the presence of these salts. Some studies showed that Na2SO4 seems to be more inhibitory than NaCl for the growth of species such as barley, wheat, sugar cane, beet, tomato, wild potato, and others. However, studies focusing on how Na2SO4 can affect the biochemical and physiological processes of plants are very scarce. This review provides an overview on the effects of Na2SO4 on different crops and plants species with a special emphasis on the tolerance/non-tolerance mechanisms of the halophyte Prosopis strombulifera under elevated NaCl and Na2SO4. A better understanding of the tolerance mechanisms in this particular species will help to identify cultivars of crop species that are more tolerant to Na2SO4. This knowledge could be used to extent cultivation of certain crop plants on Na2SO4 containing soils.

Immunomodulating Effect of the Consumption of Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) on Exercise-Induced Inflammation in Humans.

The vegetable watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br.) is, besides being a generally nutritious food, a rich source of glucosinolates. Gluconasturtiin, the predominant glucosinolate in watercress, has been shown to have several health beneficial properties through its bioactive breakdown product phenethyl isothiocyanate. Little is known about the immunoregulatory effects of watercress. Moreover, anti-inflammatory effects have mostly been shown in in vitro or in animal models. Hence, we conducted a proof-of-concept study to investigate the effects of watercress on the human immune system. In a cross-over intervention study, 19 healthy subjects (26.5 ± 4.3 years; 14 males, 5 females) were given a single dose (85 g) of fresh self-grown watercress or a control meal. Two hours later, a 30 min high-intensity workout was conducted to promote exercise-induced inflammation. Blood samples were drawn before, 5 min after, and 3 h after the exercise unit. Inflammatory blood markers (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, MCP-1, MMP-9) were analyzed in whole blood cultures after ex vivo immune cell stimulation via lipopolysaccharides. A mild pro-inflammatory reaction was observed after watercress consumption indicated by an increase in IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α, whereas the immune response was more pronounced for both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) after the exercise unit compared to the control meal. During the recovery phase, watercress consumption led to a stronger anti-inflammatory downregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. In conclusion, we propose that watercress causes a stronger pro-inflammatory response and anti-inflammatory counter-regulation during and after exercise. The clinical relevance of these changes should be verified in future studies.

Variation of Glucosinolate Contents in Clubroot-Resistant and -Susceptible Brassica napus Cultivars in Response to Virulence of Plasmodiophora brassicae.

The present study investigated the changes in total and individual glucosinolates (GSLs) in roots and leaves of different clubroot-resistant and -susceptible oilseed rape cultivars following artificial inoculation with Plasmodiophora brassicae isolates with different virulence. The results showed significant differences in clubroot incidence and severity as well as in the amount of total and individual glucosinolates between oilseed rape cultivars in response to virulence of the pathogen. Single among with total aliphatic and total indolic glucosinolate contents were significantly lower in leaves of susceptible cultivars compared to resistant ones due to the infection. Similarly, single and total aliphatic as well as indolic glucosinolate contents in roots were lower in susceptible cultivars compared to resistant cultivars analyzed. The different isolates of P. brassicae seem to differ in their ability to reduce gluconasturtiin contents in the host. The more aggressive isolate P1 (+) might be able to suppress gluconasturtiin synthesis of the host in a more pronounced manner compared to the isolate P1. A possible interaction of breakdown products of glucobrassicin with the auxin receptor transport inhibitor response 1 (TIR1) is hypothesized and its possible effects on auxin signaling in roots and leaves of resistant and susceptible cultivars is discussed. A potential interplay between aliphatic and indolic glucosinolates that might be involved in water homeostasis in resistant cultivars is explained.

Pharmacological Insights into Halophyte Bioactive Extract Action on Anti-Inflammatory, Pain Relief and Antibiotics-Type Mechanisms.

The pharmacological activities in bioactive plant extracts play an increasing role in sustainable resources for valorization and biomedical applications. Bioactive phytochemicals, including natural compounds, secondary metabolites and their derivatives, have attracted significant attention for use in both medicinal products and cosmetic products. Our review highlights the pharmacological mode-of-action and current biomedical applications of key bioactive compounds applied as anti-inflammatory, bactericidal with antibiotics effects, and pain relief purposes in controlled clinical studies or preclinical studies. In this systematic review, the availability of bioactive compounds from several salt-tolerant plant species, mainly focusing on the three promising species Aster tripolium, Crithmum maritimum and Salicornia europaea, are summarized and discussed. All three of them have been widely used in natural folk medicines and are now in the focus for future nutraceutical and pharmacological applications.

New insights into the salt tolerance of the extreme halophytic species Lycium humile (Lycieae, Solanaceae).

Knowledge about Solanaceae species naturally adapted to salinity is scarce, despite the fact that a considerable number of Solanaceae has been reported growing in saline environments. Lycium humile Phil. inhabits extreme saline soils in the Altiplano-Puna region (Central Andes, South America) and represents a promising experimental model to study salt tolerance in Solanaceae plants. Seeds, leaves and roots were collected from a saline environment (Salar del Diablo, Argentina). Seeds were scarified and 30 days after germination salt treatments were applied by adding NaCl salt pulses (up to 750 or 1000 mM). Different growth parameters were evaluated, and leaf spectral reflectance, endogenous phytohormone levels, antioxidant capacity, proline and elemental content, and morpho-anatomical characteristics in L. humile under salinity were analyzed both in controlled and natural conditions. The multiple salt tolerance mechanisms found in this species are mainly the accumulation of the phytohormone abscisic acid, the increase of the antioxidant capacity and proline content, together with the development of a large leaf water-storage parenchyma that allows Na+ accumulation and an efficient osmotic adjustment. Lycium humile is probably one of the most salt-tolerant Solanaceae species in the world, and, in controlled conditions, can effectively grow at high NaCl concentrations (at least, up to 750 mM NaCl) but also, in the absence of salts in the medium. Therefore, we propose that natural distribution of L. humile is more related to water availability, as a limiting factor of growth in Altiplano-Puna saline habitats, than to high salt concentrations in the soils.

Screening of Emerging Pollutants (EPs) in Estuarine Water and Phytoremediation Capacity of Tripolium pannonicum under Controlled Conditions.

The increasing number of pharmaceuticals in the environment and their difficult biodegradation, can lead to bioaccumulation in different trophic compartments. Their bioaccumulation can have negative consequences, especially in the generation of bacterial resistance by antibiotics, but also in the impairment of plant and animal metabolism. The Tejo estuary in Portugal is the habitat for many plant and animal species, which are also prone to this type of contamination. Therefore, in the present study different classes of emerging pollutants (EPs) were surveyed in water samples in the Tejo estuary, including antibiotics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, lipid-lowering drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, beta-blockers and analgesics. According to the results, only four compounds were detected in water samples collected at the three selected salt marshes, including carbamazepine, fluoxetine hydrochloride, venlafaxine hydrochloride and acetaminophen. Having the detected substances as a basis, a subsequent study was performed aiming to investigate the uptake and biodegradation capacity of halophytes, using Tripolium pannonicum as a model plant cultivated under controlled conditions with different concentrations of the found EPs. This experimental approach showed that T. pannonicum was able to uptake and degrade xenobiotics. Moreover, the application of sulfamethazine, as a model antibiotic, showed also that this species can uptake and degrade this compound, although the degradation rate and process proved to be compound-specific. This was also confirmed using crude plant extracts spiked with the different EPs. Thus this species is a potential candidate for the remediation of marine water and sediments contaminated with environmentally-significant EPs.

Provenance effect on bioactive phytochemicals and nutritional and health benefits of the desert date Balanites aegyptiaca.

Balanites aegyptiaca L. is a multipurpose tree distributed in Africa and Middle East. Several parts of B. aegyptiaca have been suggested to have medicinal uses. So far the effect of ecological origin on the nutritional values and biological activities of B. aegyptiaca genotypes is rarely investigated. Further, metabolic profiling and assessment of the functional food value of B. aegyptiaca leaves are far from complete. In this study, biological activities and profiling of primary and secondary metabolites were investigated in the leaves of five B. aegyptiaca provenances collected from Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Interestingly, all provenances showed notable antidiabetic, antioxidant, antiprotozoal, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed significant variability in the concentrations of individual sugars, organic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, phenolics, and minerals among the provenances and these variations were provenance dependent. Medina provenance showed the heights diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging and antifungal activities and was the most powerful against embryonic kidney adenocarcinoma and urinary bladder carcinoma cells. The highest inhibition against Escherichia coli and colon carcinoma cells was observed by Sudan and Cairo provenances. El-Kharga and Yemen provenances showed the greatest activity against Trypanosoma cruzi and hepatocellular and urinary bladder carcinoma. Therefore, leaves of B. aegyptiaca possess good nutritive and biological capacities and might have potential applications in the food and medical industries. However, the strength of such activities is significantly affected by the provenance. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: According to the national Research Council (NRC) of United States, Balanites aegyptiaca L. is recognized among the 24 priority lost crops of Africa. B. aegyptiaca leaves contain considerable amounts of primary metabolites (e.g., sugars, EAAs, USFAs) and secondary (e.g., phenolic acids and flavonoids) metabolites, vitamins, and macro and microelements. The obvious existence of these nutritionally and medicinally related compounds supports the functional food value of B. aegyptiaca leaves. Moreover, the present results revealed that B. aegyptiaca is not only a foliage dietary plant, but also could be considered as a valuable source for neutraceuticals, which support its pharmacological value. So far, this is the first report to explore, in detail, the functional food value of B. aegyptiaca leaves by presenting a clear image about its metabolic profiling and biological activities, and how the provenance factor could affect these values.

Promoting Beneficial and Inhibiting Undesirable Biofilm Formation with Mangrove Extracts.

The extracts of two mangrove species, Bruguiera cylindrica and Laguncularia racemosa, have been analyzed at sub-lethal concentrations for their potential to modulate biofilm cycles (i.e., adhesion, maturation, and detachment) on a bacterium, yeast, and filamentous fungus. Methanolic leaf extracts were also characterized, and MS/MS analysis has been used to identify the major compounds. In this study, we showed the following. (i) Adhesion was reduced up to 85.4% in all the models except for E. coli, where adhesion was promoted up to 5.10-fold. (ii) Both the sum and ratio of extracellular polysaccharides and proteins in mature biofilm were increased up to 2.5-fold and 2.6-fold in comparison to the negative control, respectively. Additionally, a shift toward a major production of exopolysaccharides was found coupled with a major production of both intracellular and extracellular reactive oxygen species. (iii) Lastly, detachment was generally promoted. In general, the L. racemosa extract had a higher bioactivity at lower concentrations than the B. cylindrica extract. Overall, our data showed a reduction in cells/conidia adhesion under B. cylindrica and L. racemosa exposure, followed by an increase of exopolysaccharides during biofilm maturation and a variable effect on biofilm dispersal. In conclusion, extracts either inhibited or enhanced biofilm development, and this effect depended on both the microbial taxon and biofilm formation step.

Differential effects of NaCl and Na2SO4 on the halophyte Prosopis strombulifera are explained by different responses of photosynthesis and metabolism.

Prosopis strombulifera (Lam.) Benth. is a halophytic shrub found in highly saline soils in Argentina, with high tolerance against NaCl but strong growth inhibition by Na2SO4. In the present study, the differences in the physiological responses caused by these salts and an iso-osmotic combination thereof on photosynthesis, mineral composition and metabolism were analyzed. Na2SO4 treated plants were the most affected by salinity, showing a significant decrease in several photosynthetic parameters. Proline and cysteine accumulated significantly in the plants in response to salt stress. These results show by the first time that the SO42- anion is triggering damage in the photosynthetic apparatus and consequently affecting the photosynthetic process, which may explain the strong growth inhibition in these plants at high salinity. Moreover, the SO42- anion provoke challenges in the incorporation of nutrients, decreasing the levels of K, Ca, P and Mg, and inducing a strong antioxidant activity in P. strombulifera.

Enzymatic degradation of the antibiotic sulfamethazine by using crude extracts of different halophytic plants.

The biodegradation of the antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMT) by using different crude extracts of halophytes was investigated. For this purpose, crude water extracts of the halophytes Chenopodium quinoa, Sesuvium portulacastrum, and Tripolium pannonicum were prepared. Different amounts of SMT were added to the different extracts (final concentration of 1, 2, and 5 mg L-1) and incubated at 37 °C. Crude extracts of T. pannonicum were further used to evaluate the degradation rate over time. In order to evaluate the influence of endophytic or naturally plant-associated microorganisms on the biodegradation of SMT, extracts from plants grown in sterile and non-sterile conditions were compared. SMT was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to positive ion electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI LC-MS). Based on the findings, crude extracts of T. pannonicum have a high potential to biodegrade SMT with a decrease up to 85.4% (4.27 ± 0.10 mg L-1) from an initial concentration of 5 mg L-1. The lowest activity was obtained using extracts of C. quinoa with degradation of 4.5%. Extracts of plants cultivated under sterile and non-sterile conditions do not have any significant difference in SMT degradation. Therefore, microorganisms and their enzymatic activities do not seem to play a significant role during this process.