Part 7/12:
The team embarked on a month-long stress test of various crops, exposing seedlings to increasing salinity—from freshwater conditions to full seawater. The results were encouraging: many plants, including pulaka and chili, survived high salinity levels, although growth was stunted. The salt-tolerant lemongrass and chili exhibited remarkable resilience, hinting at the possibility of cultivating edible plants directly in the marine environment.
In parallel, the team experimented with water-retentive soil additives developed by NTU, aiming to enhance drought resistance. While initial results showed poor plant growth, some crops like pulaka demonstrated tolerance to dry conditions, underscoring the importance of selecting resilient species for ocean-based farming.