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Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance
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Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 7905

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lara Donaldson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925, South Africa
Interests: plant systems biology; plant microbiome; salinity stress; hormone signaling; auxin biosynthesis; second messenger signaling; ion homeostasis and membrane transport; plant-pathogen interactions
Prof. Dr. Gederts Ievinsh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, 1 Jelgavas Str., LV-1004 Rīga, Latvia
Interests: plant functional diversity; coastal plants; plant interactions; plant adaptations; halophytes, salinity; edaphic factors, nitrophytes; metal tolerance and accumulation, metalophytes; phytoremediation; Green Walls
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soils are becoming increasingly saline due to poor farming practices and climate change. The growth and development of most crop plants are inhibited by salinity stress. To sustain food production in more saline soils, we need to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying plant salinity stress tolerance so that we can engineer more resilient crops. Plants have various mechanisms to combat both the initial stress imposed by salt that is independent of sodium accumulation in the shoot (osmotic stress similar to that imposed by other stresses such as drought) and the more delayed ion toxicity stress (that arises from uptake of Na+ and Cl- and is specific to salinity stress). There is still much that we do not know about how plants perceive, signal, and respond to salinity stress to ultimately adapt their growth and development so that they can survive in saline soils. This Special Issue of Plants will focus on the molecular mechanisms that enable plants to perceive, signal, respond, grow, and ultimately tolerate salinity stress.

Dr. Lara Donaldson
Prof. Dr. Gederts Ievinsh
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • salinity stress
  • ion toxicity
  • ion homeostasis
  • Na+ transport
  • halotropism
  • salt tolerance
  • saline

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2973 KiB  
Article
Effects of Exogenous Isosteviol on the Physiological Characteristics of Brassica napus Seedlings under Salt Stress
by Wenjing Xia, Wangang Meng, Yueqin Peng, Yutian Qin, Liang Zhang and Nianqing Zhu
Plants 2024, 13(2), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020217 - 12 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 738
Abstract
In this paper, the effect of isosteviol on the physiological metabolism of Brassica napus seedlings under salt stress is explored. Brassica napus seeds (Qinyou 2) were used as materials, and the seeds were soaked in different concentrations of isosteviol under salt stress. The [...] Read more.
In this paper, the effect of isosteviol on the physiological metabolism of Brassica napus seedlings under salt stress is explored. Brassica napus seeds (Qinyou 2) were used as materials, and the seeds were soaked in different concentrations of isosteviol under salt stress. The fresh weight, dry weight, osmotic substance, absorption and distribution of Na+, K+, Cl−, and the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured, and these results were combined with the changes shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that isosteviol at an appropriate concentration could effectively increase the biomass and soluble protein content of Brassica napus seedlings and reduce the contents of proline, glycine betaine, and ROS in the seedlings. Isosteviol reduces the oxidative damage to Brassica napus seedlings caused by salt stress by regulating the production of osmotic substances and ROS. In addition, after seed soaking in isosteviol, the Na+ content in the shoots of the Brassica napus seedlings was always lower than that in the roots, while the opposite was true for the K+ content. This indicated that under salt stress the Na+ absorbed by the Brassica napus seedlings was mainly accumulated in the roots and that less Na+ was transported to the shoots, while more of the K+ absorbed by the Brassica napus seedlings was retained in the leaves. It is speculated that this may be an important mechanism for Brassica napus seedlings to relieve Na+ toxicity. The spectroscopy analysis showed that, compared with the control group (T1), salt stress increased the absorbance values of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, etc., indicating structural damage to the plasma membrane and cell wall. The spectra of the isosteviol seed soaking treatment group were nearly the same as those of the control group (T1). The correlation analysis shows that under salt stress the Brassica napus seedling tissues could absorb large amounts of Na+ and Cl− to induce oxidative stress and inhibit the growth of the plants. After the seed soaking treatment, isosteviol could significantly reduce the absorption of Na+ by the seedling tissues, increase the K+ content, and reduce the salt stress damage to the plant seedlings. Therefore, under salt stress, seed soaking with isosteviol at an appropriate concentration (10−9~10−8 M) can increase the salt resistance of Brassica napus seedlings by regulating their physiological and metabolic functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance)
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20 pages, 4767 KiB  
Article
Effect of Na, K and Ca Salts on Growth, Physiological Performance, Ion Accumulation and Mineral Nutrition of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
by Astra Jēkabsone, Andis Karlsons, Anita Osvalde and Gederts Ievinsh
Plants 2024, 13(2), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020190 - 10 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1062
Abstract
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. is an obligatory halophyte species showing optimum growth at elevated soil salinity levels, but the ionic requirements for growth stimulation are not known. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of sodium, potassium and calcium in [...] Read more.
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. is an obligatory halophyte species showing optimum growth at elevated soil salinity levels, but the ionic requirements for growth stimulation are not known. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of sodium, potassium and calcium in the form of chloride and nitrate salts on the growth, physiological performance, ion accumulation and mineral nutrition of M. crystallinum plants in controlled conditions. In a paradoxical way, while sodium and potassium had comparable stimulative effect on plant growth, the effect of calcium was strongly negative even at a relatively low concentration, eventually leading to plant death. Moreover, the effect of Ca nitrate was less negative in comparison to that of Ca chloride, but K in the form of nitrate had some negative effects. There were three components of the stimulation of biomass accumulation by NaCl and KCl salinity in M. crsytallinum: the increase in tissue water content, increase in ion accumulation, and growth activation. As optimum growth was in a salinity range from 20 to 100 mM, the increase in the dry biomass of plants at a moderate (200 mM) and high (400 mM) salinity in comparison to control plants was mostly due to ion accumulation. Among physiological indicators, changes in leaf chlorophyll concentration appeared relatively late, but the chlorophyll a fluorescence parameter, Performance Index Total, was the most sensitive to the effect of salts. In conclusion, both sodium and potassium in the form of chloride salts are efficient in promoting the optimum growth of M. crystallinum plants. However, mechanisms leading to the negative effect of calcium on plants need to be assessed further. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance)
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20 pages, 3252 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Salt Stress-Induced Changes in Polyamine, Amino Acid, and Phytoalexin Profiles in Mature Fruits of Grapevine Cultivars Grown in Tunisian Oases
by Abir Habib, Sihem Ben Maachia, Ahmed Namsi, Mounira Harbi Ben Slimane, Philippe Jeandet and Aziz Aziz
Plants 2023, 12(23), 4031; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12234031 - 30 Nov 2023
Viewed by 797
Abstract
Salinity stress has become an increasing threat to viticulture in the Tunisian oasis, and more generally, the characterization of salinity tolerance markers can be of great interest for sustainable grape production. This study investigated some metabolic adaptations in different tissues of the ripe [...] Read more.
Salinity stress has become an increasing threat to viticulture in the Tunisian oasis, and more generally, the characterization of salinity tolerance markers can be of great interest for sustainable grape production. This study investigated some metabolic adaptations in different tissues of the ripe berries of indigenous grapevine cultivars after exposure to salt stress to identify the key traits of salt stress tolerance under oasis conditions. We especially focused on the adaptive responses occurring at the level of amino acids, polyamines, and stilbene phytoalexins in the grape berry skin, pulp, and seeds of six grapevine cultivars differing in phenotypic and ampelographic characteristics. Our data showed that amino acids accumulated strongly in the pulp and skin, while resveratrol, trans-piceid and trans-ε-viniferin, as major phytoalexins, significantly accumulated in the seeds. High salinity was also found to increase both the berry skin and pulp contents of essential amino acids such as threonine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, and phenylalanine. The amounts of stilbenes also increased under high salinity in the berry skin of all the studied cultivars. Polyamine homeostasis within the different berry tissues suggested enhanced polyamine biosynthesis rather than polyamine oxidation in response to high salinity. Our principal component analysis revealed a clear discrimination between the cultivars based on their metabolic profiles within the ripe berry tissues under high salinity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance)
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16 pages, 6007 KiB  
Article
GhDof1.7, a Dof Transcription Factor, Plays Positive Regulatory Role under Salinity Stress in Upland Cotton
by Yi Li, Miaomiao Tian, Zhen Feng, Jingjing Zhang, Jianhua Lu, Xiaokang Fu, Liang Ma, Hengling Wei and Hantao Wang
Plants 2023, 12(21), 3740; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213740 - 31 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1026
Abstract
Salt stress is a major abiotic stressor that can severely limit plant growth, distribution, and crop yield. DNA-binding with one finger (Dof) is a plant-specific transcription factor that plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and stress response. In this study, the [...] Read more.
Salt stress is a major abiotic stressor that can severely limit plant growth, distribution, and crop yield. DNA-binding with one finger (Dof) is a plant-specific transcription factor that plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and stress response. In this study, the function of a Dof transcription factor, GhDof1.7, was investigated in upland cotton. The GhDof1.7 gene has a coding sequence length of 759 base pairs, encoding 252 amino acids, and is mainly expressed in roots, stems, leaves, and inflorescences. Salt and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments significantly induced the expression of GhDof1.7. The presence of GhDof1.7 in Arabidopsis may have resulted in potential improvements in salt tolerance, as suggested by a decrease in H2O2 content and an increase in catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. The GhDof1.7 protein was found to interact with GhCAR4 (C2-domain ABA-related 4), and the silencing of either GhDof1.7 or GhCAR4 resulted in reduced salt tolerance in cotton plants. These findings demonstrate that GhDof1.7 plays a crucial role in improving the salt tolerance of upland cotton and provide insight into the regulation of abiotic stress response by Dof transcription factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance)
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13 pages, 3644 KiB  
Article
Reshifting Na+ from Shoots into Long Roots Is Associated with Salt Tolerance in Two Contrasting Inbred Maize (Zea mays L.) Lines
by Zhenyang Zhao, Hongxia Zheng, Minghao Wang, Yaning Guo, Yingfei Wang, Chaoli Zheng, Ye Tao, Xiaofeng Sun, Dandan Qian, Guanglong Cao, Mengqian Zhu, Mengting Liang, Mei Wang, Yan Gong, Bingxiao Li, Jinye Wang and Yanling Sun
Plants 2023, 12(10), 1952; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101952 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1427
Abstract
Maize, as a glycophyte, is hypersensitive to salinity, but the salt response mechanism of maize remains unclear. In this study, the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of two contrasting inbred lines, the salt-tolerant QXH0121 and salt-sensitive QXN233 lines, were investigated in response to [...] Read more.
Maize, as a glycophyte, is hypersensitive to salinity, but the salt response mechanism of maize remains unclear. In this study, the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of two contrasting inbred lines, the salt-tolerant QXH0121 and salt-sensitive QXN233 lines, were investigated in response to salt stress. Under salt stress, the tolerant QXH0121 line exhibited good performance, while in the sensitive QXN233 line, there were negative effects on the growth of the leaves and roots. The most important finding was that QXH0121 could reshift Na+ from shoots into long roots, migrate excess Na+ in shoots to alleviate salt damage to shoots, and also improve K+ retention in shoots, which were closely associated with the enhanced expression levels of ZmHAK1 and ZmNHX1 in QXH0121 compared to those in QXN233 under salt stress. Additionally, QXH0121 leaves accumulated more proline, soluble protein, and sugar contents and had higher SOD activity levels than those observed in QXN233, which correlated with the upregulation of ZmP5CR, ZmBADH, ZmTPS1, and ZmSOD4 in QXH0121 leaves. These were the main causes of the higher salt tolerance of QXH0121 in contrast to QXN233. These results broaden our knowledge about the underlying mechanism of salt tolerance in different maize varieties, providing novel insights into breeding maize with a high level of salt resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance)
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Review

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23 pages, 2317 KiB  
Review
The Role of Anthocyanins in Plant Tolerance to Drought and Salt Stresses
by Siarhei A. Dabravolski and Stanislav V. Isayenkov
Plants 2023, 12(13), 2558; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132558 - 5 Jul 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2249
Abstract
Drought and salinity affect various biochemical and physiological processes in plants, inhibit plant growth, and significantly reduce productivity. The anthocyanin biosynthesis system represents one of the plant stress-tolerance mechanisms, activated by surplus reactive oxygen species. Anthocyanins act as ROS scavengers, protecting plants from [...] Read more.
Drought and salinity affect various biochemical and physiological processes in plants, inhibit plant growth, and significantly reduce productivity. The anthocyanin biosynthesis system represents one of the plant stress-tolerance mechanisms, activated by surplus reactive oxygen species. Anthocyanins act as ROS scavengers, protecting plants from oxidative damage and enhancing their sustainability. In this review, we focus on molecular and biochemical mechanisms underlying the role of anthocyanins in acquired tolerance to drought and salt stresses. Also, we discuss the role of abscisic acid and the abscisic-acid-miRNA156 regulatory node in the regulation of drought-induced anthocyanin production. Additionally, we summarise the available knowledge on transcription factors involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis and development of salt and drought tolerance. Finally, we discuss recent progress in the application of modern gene manipulation technologies in the development of anthocyanin-enriched plants with enhanced tolerance to drought and salt stresses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Citrus trees irrigated with desalinated seawater under conditions of deficit irrigation
Authors: J.M. Navarro; V. Antolinos; J.M. Robles; P. Botía
Affiliation: Irrigation and Stress Physiology Group, Murcia Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Research and Development, 30150 Murcia, Spain
Abstract: The current lack of natural water resources in regions such as the southeast of Spain, one of the areas with a higher water deficit in the EU, is driving the use of desalinated seawater (DSW) as an alternative source for crop irrigation. Since citrus have proved to be sensible to Na+, Cl−, and B (phytotoxic ions that predominate in DSW), and also to water stress, the behaviour of citrus irrigated with DSW under deficit irrigation (DI) was evaluated. One-year-old ‘Verna’ lemon trees grafted on Citrus macrophylla (CM) were grown at elevated temperatures (35/27°C) and irrigated with two types of water supplemented with Hoagland nutrients: DSW and Control (distilled water). After 140 days, two different treatments were applied: full irrigation (FI) or DI (a 50% volume of nutrient solution applied to FI). Seventy-five days after DI treatment was kicked off, plants irrigated with DSW or with DI treatment showed a decrease in shoot growth, probably due to the high accumulation of Na+, Cl− and B in plants where DSW was used (which increased the number of damaged leaves). When DI was also applied to these plants, Na+ and Cl− levels reached the highest values. Plant water potential showed a progressive decrease after DI was started, and at the end of the experiment, DSW-irrigated plants under DI treatment reached the lowest values, not only for water potential, but also for osmotic potential, that decreased due to the accumulation of phytotoxic elements and to the synthesis of osmolytes such as proline. The high stress reached by plants irrigated with DSW under DI treatments produced an increase in cellular damage estimated with malondialdehyde (MDA). Since the adverse effects of irrigating citrus with DSW were aggravated under deficit irrigation, the results obtained in this experiment, using DSW at a high temperature, could be useful for the management of citrus crops in the future, because climate change will increase temperatures and exacerbate the scarcity of water resources in citrus-growing areas.

Title: Effect of Na, K and Ca salts on growth, physiological performance, ion accumulation and mineral nutrition of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Authors: Astra Jēkabsone; Andis Karlsons; Anita Osvalde; Gederts Ievinsh
Affiliation: Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, 1 Jelgavas Str., LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Abstract: Mesembryanthemum crystallinum is an obligatory halophyte species showing optimum growth at elevated soil salinity, but ionic requirements for growth stimulation is not known. The aim of the present study was to compare effects of sodium, potassium and calcium in a form of chloride and nitrate salts on growth, physiological performance, ion accumulation and mineral nutrition of M. crystallinum plants in controlled conditions. In a paradoxical way, while sodium and potassium had comparable stimulative effect on plant growth, effect of calcium was strongly negative even at relatively low concentration eventually leading to plant death. Moreover, effect of Ca nitrate was less negative in comparison to that of Ca chloride, but K in a form of nitrate had some negative effect. There were three components of stimulation of biomass accumulation by NaCl and KCl salinity in M. crsytallinum: increase in tissue water content, increase of ion accumulation, and growth activation. As optimum growth was in a salinity range from 20 to 100 mM, increase in dry biomass of plants at moderate (200 mM) and high (400 mM) salinity in comparison to control plants was mostly due to ion accumulation. Among physiological indicators, changes in leaf chlorophyll concentration appeared relatively late, but the chlorophyll a fluorescence parameter Performance Index was the most sensitive to the effect of salts. In conclusion, both sodium and potassium in a form of chloride salts are efficient in providing optimum growth of M. crystallinum plants. However, mechanisms leading to negative effect of calcium on plants needs to be assessed further.

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