We investigated the growth response and population regeneration of four halophyte species: Suaeda japonica, Salicornia europaea, Suaeda maritima and Suaeda glauca, when climate change proceeds caused by increased CO2 concentration and temperature. The plants collected from habitat in 2018 were transplanted into Wagner pots, and cultivated for two years in greenhouse divided into a control (ambient condition) and a treatment (elevated CO2+elevated temperature). The shoot length of halophytes was measured in July of each year, and the population regeneration rate was measured in October 2019. The shoot lengths of S. japonica and S. glauca had no difference between control and treatment for two years. Those of S. europaea were longer in control than treatment for two years. Those of S. maritima had no difference between control and treatment in 2018 but were longer in control than treatment in 2019. In control, the shoot lengths of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. glauca had no difference between years while those of S. maritima were longer in 2018 than in 2019. In treatment, those of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. maritima were shorter in 2019 than 2018 but S. glauca had no difference between years. The regeneration rates of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. glauca were lower treatment than control, and there was no difference in the regeneration rate of S. maritima. In conclusion, if climate change progresses caused by the increase of CO2 concentration and temperature, the shoot lengths of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. maritima will be shortened, and the regeneration rate of population will be increased only in the S. maritima.

This study was conducted to investigate for mineral contents, total polyphenol compounds,betaine, choline and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of halophyte. The mineral concentrations of Salicornia herbacea (top part) were Na 100,006 mg/kg, K 1,385 mg/kg, Mg 6,263 mg/kg, Ca 2,750 mg/kg, Fe 90.4 mg/kg, Mn 98.9 mg/kg, Zn 33.3 mg/kg, Cu 3.4 mg/kg respectively. And Suaeda Japonica (top part) were Na 85,332 mg/kg, K 710 mg/kg, Mg 7,005 mg/kg, Ca 4,344 mg/kg, Fe 1,434.9 mg/kg, Mn 119.1 mg/kg, Zn 19.2 mg/kg, Cu 2.7 mg/kg respectively. The betaine contents of Salicornia herbacea (top part) were 15.09 mg/g and Suaeda Japonica (top part)were 14.64 mg/g. The choline contents estimated by the DBAP-choline derivatives of Salicornia herbacea (top part)were 20.9 mg/100 g, Salicornia herbacea (root) were 23.4 mg/100 g, Suaeda Japonica (top part) were 23.1 mg/100g and Suaeda Japonica (root) were 23.8 mg/100 g. Total polyphenol compounds of Salicornia herbacea (top part) were high 36.0 mg/g in growth phase. The DPPH radical scavenging activities of methanol extract Salicornia herbacea (top part) were high 90.1% in growth phase. The frozen dried powder of Salicornia herbacea (top part) 1 g was equal to Quercetin 30.26 mg, Rutin 42.65 mg, TBHQ 20.32 mg, BHA 25.86 mg, BHT 40.75 mg, Ascorbic acid 22.86 mg in DPPH radical scavenging activities.

Suaeda japonica is a halophytic plant that lives in mudflat at intertidal zone of western and southern coastal areas of Korea. The seawater-living plants showed a purple color during their whole life. In contrast, freshwater-living plants displayed a green color in leaves. When seawater-living plants were transferred to potting soil, the purple color was gradually changed to green in the leaves. The extracted purple pigment compound exhibited typical characteristics of betacyanin that were represented by water solubility, pH- and temperature-dependent color changes, sensitivity to light, UV-Vis spectra, and gel electrophoretic migration pattern. The LC-MS analysis of the extracted pigment compound showed the presence of two major protonated molecular ions ([M+H]+) at m/z 651.1 and m/z 827.1. Antioxidant activity of the pigment compound was determined using stable free radical DPPH assay. It was found to have an antioxidant activity that is linearly increased in proportion to the reaction time for up to 30 min, and the activity was comparable to that of control BHA at 9.0 ㎎/㎖. The anticancer activity against several tumor cell lines was also examined following the MTT assay. The significant growth inhibitory effect was observed on two tumor cell lines, SW-156 (human kidney carcinoma) and HEC-1B (human endometrial adenocarcinoma). Probably, the pigment compound may function as an osmolyte to uphold halotolerant physiological processes in saline environment.

Four compounds were isolated from Suaeda japonica by repeated column chromatography. Their structures were identified as 2'-hydroxy-6,7-methylenedioxy-isoflavone (1), loliolide (2), dehydrovomifoliol (3), and uridine (4) by spectral analysis and comparison with the published data. All compounds were isolated for the first time from this plant.