Global plant-responding mechanisms to salt stress: physiological and molecular levels and implications in biotechnology

Abstract

The increasing seriousness of salinization aggravates the food, population and environmental issues. Ameliorating the salt-resistance of plants especially the crops is the most effective measure to solve the worldwide problem. The salinity can cause damage to plants mainly from two aspects: hyperosmotic and hyperionic stresses leading to the restrain of growth and photosynthesis. To the adverse effects, the plants derive corresponding strategies including: ion regulation and compartmentalization, biosynthesis of compatible solutes, induction of antioxidant enzymes and plant hormones. With the development of molecular biology, our understanding of the molecular and physiology knowledge is becoming clearness. The complex signal transduction underlying the salt resistance is being illuminated brighter and clearer. The SOS pathway is the central of the cell signaling in salt stress. The accumulation of the compatible solutes and the activation of the antioxidant system are the effective measures for plants to enhance the salt resistance. How to make full use of our understanding to improve the output of crops is a huge challenge for us, yet the application of the genetic engineering makes this possible. In this review, we will discuss the influence of the salt stress and the response of the plants in detail expecting to provide a particular account for the plant resistance in molecular, physiological and transgenic fields.

GIS-mapping spatial distribution of soil salinity for Eco-restoring the Yellow River Delta in combination with Electromagnetic Induction

“…Excessive Na + may cause high pH, changes in soil solution ions and nutrients, and destabilization of soil structure (Li et al, 2015). Also, salt toxicity influences plant growth significantly (Yan et al, 2013) from two aspects: hyperosmotic stress and hyperionic stress (Tang et al, 2014;Jiang et al, 2016). Saline soils are generally characterized by an electrical conductivity (EC) > 4 dS m −1 , pH < 8, and exchangeable sodium http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.05.037 0925-8574/© 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.…”

Zinc application mitigates the adverse effects of NaCl stress on mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss] through modulating compatible organic solutes, antioxidant enzymes, and flavonoid content

“…Salinity stress hampers plant growth via diminishing cell division and expansion, reducing photosynthetic efficiency, modifying metabolic processes, as well as causing ion toxicity, osmotic stress, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and other physiological disorders (Ibrahim et al 2012;Wani et al 2013;Yan et al 2013;Ahmad et al 2016b;Anjum et al 2015;Hussein et al 2017). Cumulatively, these adverse effects perturb growth and alter normal metabolism in plants (Wani et al 2013;Rasool et al 2013;Ahmad et al 2014;Iqbal et al 2015;Tang et al 2015;Hussein et al 2017).…”

Applying hyperspectral imaging to explore natural plant diversity towards improving salt stress tolerance

“…In arid and semi-arid areas, the irrigation is often used to compensate the lack of rainfall in drought prone regions; however, the intensive long-term irrigation of arable lands tends to increase salinity of soil to the extent which is unacceptable for crop plants (Flowers, 2004;Tang et al, 2015). Regarding the classification of plants based on their capability to growth on high salt solutions, the species can be divided into glycophytes or halophytes.…”