10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

The growing challenges in the agricultural sector due to climate change have accentuated the need for drought-resistant species, particularly in regions where water scarcity is a chronic problem. The cultivation of drought-resistant species has become crucial for agricultural sustainability and the conservation of medicinal plant resources. As global temperatures rise and weather patterns become more unpredictable, water stress poses a significant threat to horticultural and agricultural productivity, as well as the availability of medicinal plants sourced from the wild or cultivation, which could then affect human health and well-being. Trachyandra divaricata is a native coastal plant from South Africa, with promising drought-tolerant capacity and therapeutic potential. The species is underutilized despite the record of its consumption by the indigenous Khoisan clan. This review highlights the underutilised halophyte T. divaricata, its promising potential in pharmacology, the Asphodelaceae family, their lead phytochemical constituents, and physiological and biochemical mechanisms for drought tolerance. Moreover, the review aims to support the importance of metabolomics in defining how stress can modulate the synthesis of secondary metabolites in plants, which explains how these metabolites can be used to elucidate stress tolerance pathways, defence mechanisms, as well as the medicinal significance of plants’ by-products in the pharmaceutical domain. The review further explores the synthesis of therapeutically active nanoparticles and provides a framework for future research and commercial development using neglected wild edible plants.