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Figure 1: Investigated biorefinery concept of residual halophyte biomass Halophytes are emerging supercrops due to their large diversity and natural adaptivity. Their main benefit lies in their suitability for cultivation in marginal lands, thus avoiding competition with traditional farm crops [1]. Moreover,  due to their ability to tolerate and accumulate salt, they are used for the phytoremediation of salt-affected soils [2]. Besides their use in saline agriculture, they have also proven to be a promising species for CO2 capture [3]. There is significant interest in halophytes due to their abundance in high-value  bioactive compounds such as phenolics, carotenoids, vitamins, and more [4]. In a halophyte-based biorefinery, the focus is on extracting high-value compounds from juiced fibers. The leftover green juice can serve as a medium for enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation, while the extract-free halophyte  lignocellulosic fibers can be enzymatically saccharified and fermented with probiotic bacteria and yeast to produce functional animal feed, a process investigated in this study. To conclude, commercializing halophytes could greatly enhance soil quality, prevent further soil degradation, and take  advantage of their natural carbon sequestration properties, while also leading to the production of high-value compounds and functional feed.

References:
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