Israeli researchers are on the verge of providing the world with yet another agricultural breakthrough: a method of genetic engineering that will enable crops to survive in salty soil.

The salt left behind following evaporation and consumption of water is devastating to crops in regions that don't have enough water to flush the soil of its saline content.

If the Israeli method, which was featured in the recent edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Sciences, is successful, it could mean increased food independence for many poorer countries.

Israeli agriculturalists are behind a number of agricultural innovations introduced over the past 50 years, including the drip irrigation method that is now used in arid regions around the world.