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Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants

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A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 8507

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Dr. Yan Cheng

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State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: plant hormone regulation and disease resistance; plant stress resistance; genetics and genomics
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Dear Colleagues,

Salt stress disrupts the delicate balance of water and ions in plant cells, leading to osmotic stress and ion imbalance. Consequently, it stands as a critical abiotic stressor that hampers plant growth and development, significantly impacting global agricultural production.

We are pleased to announce the launch of a Special Issue titled "Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants" within the "Plant Science" section of Biology. This Special Issue will primarily focus on the latest advancements in plant physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, and related fields concerning salt stress. Topics of interest include the effects of salt stress on plants, plant responses and tolerance mechanisms, as well as molecular breeding strategies for developing salt-tolerant plants. The findings from this Special Issue will enhance our understanding of plant responses to abiotic stresses and provide a scientific foundation for plant protection, breeding efforts, and ecological risk assessment.

We eagerly anticipate your contributions.

Dr. Yan Cheng
Guest Editor

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Keywords

salt stress
plants
crops
soil salinization
salt tolerance
abiotic stress
plant protection
plant breeding

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 5105 KB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Analysis of the CNGC Gene Family in Suaeda glauca

by Jun Wang, Chunxing Dong, Xiaoxue He, Dongpeng Zheng, Xingguang Chen, Jiahao Cai, Gang Wang, Boping Tang, Chunyin Zhang, Lulu Wang, Xiaoping Niu, Chunmei Lai, Yuan Qin and Yan Cheng

Biology 2026, 15(6), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15060467 - 13 Mar 2026

Viewed by 346

Abstract

Cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (CNGC) genes play key regulatory roles in plant immunity and abiotic stress responses. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide identification and analysis of the CNGC gene family in Suaeda glauca. A total of 44 SgCNGC genes were identified. Through phylogenetic analysis, gene structure analysis, chromosome distribution, conserved motif analysis, collinearity analysis, cis-acting element analysis, subcellular localization, and gene overexpression analysis, we systematically characterized the evolutionary relationships, structural features, and potential functions of this gene family. The results indicate that the SgCNGC gene family is evolutionarily highly conserved but exhibits functional divergence in structure and expression. Furthermore, functional assays revealed that overexpression of SgCNGC13 in Arabidopsis thaliana led to increased salt sensitivity, indicating a negative regulatory role for this gene under salt stress. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the role of the CNGC gene family in the growth, development, and stress response of S. glauca and contribute to the remediation of saline–alkali land. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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23 pages, 3309 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multilayered Transcriptional Regulation Underlying Salt Tolerance in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Revealed by Integrated Physiological and Transcriptomic Analyses

by Sana Basharat, Hafiza Amina Iqbal, Latif Ullah Khan, Muhammad Zeeshan Ul Haq, Pingwu Liu and Muhammad Waseem

Biology 2026, 15(5), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15050375 - 25 Feb 2026

Viewed by 499

Abstract

Soil salinity represents a significant abiotic constraint limiting the productivity and geographical expansion of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), yet the coordination among the signaling, hormonal, metabolic, and regulatory layers underlying salt tolerance remains incompletely understood. This study elucidates the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic responses of B. napus inbred line 383-5 to moderate salt stress (100 mM NaCl at day 10), identifying key lncRNA–mRNA regulatory networks. Salt stress induced pronounced, dose-dependent growth inhibition, oxidative damage, and osmotic adjustment, accompanied by extensive transcriptional reprogramming. Genome-wide analyses identified 6215 differentially expressed protein-coding genes and 941 salt-responsive long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), revealing coordinated regulation of ion transport, redox homeostasis, phytohormone signaling, and secondary metabolism. Functional enrichment analyses highlighted the central involvement of abscisic acid and ethylene signaling pathways, MAPK cascades, membrane transporters, and antioxidant systems. Notably, salt stress strongly activated the phenylpropanoid and lignin biosynthesis pathways, suggesting reinforced cell wall remodeling and enhanced oxidative stress mitigation. Integration of lncRNA–mRNA regulatory networks further indicated that non-coding transcripts act as important modulators linking hormone signaling, redox balance, and metabolic adaptation. Collectively, these results reveal a multilayered and tightly synchronized regulatory framework underlying salinity tolerance in B. napus and provide valuable molecular targets for the genetic improvement of salt-resilient rapeseed cultivars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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17 pages, 38969 KB

Open AccessArticle

Identification and Expression Analysis of the CHX Gene Family in Capsicum annuum L.

by Jing Wang, Jiaxin Huang, Xu Jia and Yanping Liang

Biology 2026, 15(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15010037 - 25 Dec 2025

Viewed by 515

Abstract

The cation/H⁺ exchanger (CHX) gene family plays a vital role in maintaining K⁺/Na⁺ homeostasis in plants, yet its functional characterization in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) remains largely unexplored. To elucidate the potential roles of CHX genes in stress adaptation and development in pepper, a genome-wide identification and systematic analysis of this gene family was performed. Using a combination of Hidden Markov Model (HMM) searches, phylogenetic reconstruction, conserved motif and promoter analysis, and expression profiling across tissues and under multiple stress conditions, a total of 23 CaCHX genes were identified, which are unevenly distributed across 10 chromosomes and classified into 6 phylogenetic subfamilies. Expression profiling revealed that most CaCHX genes were highly expressed in flowers, suggesting their potential involvement in reproductive development, while only CaCHX12 and CaCHX17 were detected in leaves. Under treatments such as abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellic acid (GA), NaCl, and jasmonic acid (JA), CaCHX1, CaCHX20, and CaCHX23 exhibited distinct temporal expression patterns, suggesting their involvement in hormone-mediated stress responses. This study provides the first comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic overview of the CHX family in pepper, offering novel insights into its regulatory roles in flower development and stress tolerance and, thus supplying valuable genetic resources for molecular breeding aimed at enhancing pepper resilience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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19 pages, 9677 KB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification of the OPR Gene Family in Soybean and Its Expression Pattern Under Salt Stress

by Zhongxu Han, Xiangchi Zhang, Yanyan Sun, Chunjing Lin, Xiaoyang Ding, Hao Yan, Yong Zhan and Chunbao Zhang

Biology 2026, 15(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15010032 - 25 Dec 2025

Viewed by 544

Abstract

12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductase (OPR) is a core component of the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthetic pathway and participates in JA synthesis by catalyzing the reduction in the precursor 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), as well as broadly regulating plant development, stress response, and hormone signaling networks. This study analyzed the OPR gene family using 28 soybean genomes. A total of 15 OPR gene family members in soybean were identified, including 14 core genes and one variable gene. Analysis of gene duplication types showed that whole-genome duplication (WGD)/segmental duplication was the main mode of duplication in GmOPRs. The phylogenetic tree constructed from multiple species showed that the OPRs in subgroup VII were functionally important OPR genes and that the OPRs underwent Leguminosae and Cruciferae divergence, and large-scale duplication occurred in Leguminosae. Analysis of natural selection pressures on 28 soybean accessions indicated that the overall evolutionary pressures on GmOPRs were dominated by purifying selection, but there were also potential positive selection signals. Analysis of cis-acting elements revealed a large number of light- and hormone-responsive cis-acting elements in the GmOPRs. Some specific cis-acting elements were only present in a few genes or accessions. The protein interaction network consisted of 12 GmOPR proteins, 4 allene oxide synthase (AOS) proteins, and 6 allene oxide cyclase (AOC) proteins, where AOCs interact with GmOPRs and AOSs. Tissue transcriptome expression profiling showed that GmOPR3, GmOPR7, and GmOPR15 were specifically expressed in roots, whereas GmOPR2, GmOPR10, and GmOPR14 were specifically expressed in leaves, suggesting that these genes play an important role in the growth and development of the tissues. Moreover, GmOPRs usually responded to salt stress, and GmOPR3, GmOPR8, GmOPR9, GmOPR10, and GmOPR11 were significantly up-regulated in roots and leaves under salt stress. This suggests that these genes may be involved in biological processes such as osmoregulation, ion homeostasis, and scavenging of reactive oxygen species, thus helping soybeans to resist salt stress. This study comprehensively analyzed the OPR gene family in soybean based on the 28 soybean accessions and clarified the salt stress response pattern, which provides a new and more effective and reliable way to analyze the soybean gene family. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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28 pages, 10595 KB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Discovery and Characterization of the Auxin Response Factor (ARF) Gene Family in Avicennia marina That Regulates Phytohormone Levels and Responds to Salt and Auxin Treatments

by Quaid Hussain, Muhammad Azhar Hussain, Yingying Li, Qi Zhang, Chenjing Shang, Mostafa A. Abdel-Maksoud, Salman Alrokayan and Abdulaziz Alamri

Biology 2025, 14(12), 1774; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14121774 - 11 Dec 2025

Viewed by 798

Abstract

Auxin response factors (ARFs) are crucial components of auxin signaling, playing a vital role in plant growth, development, hormone regulation, and stress responses. Salinity influences plant growth and development; however, Avicennia marina exhibits remarkable salt tolerance. This study analyzed Avicennia marina ARF genes (AmARFs) and their roles in responding to salt and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) stress. The results indicated that across 5–15 days, endogenous IAA and abscisic acid (ABA) levels in A. marina leaves showed significant, time-dependent changes under salt and IAA treatments, with IAA fluctuating around 2.0–3.3 µg g⁻¹ FW and ABA rising sharply under combined high-salt + IAA conditions (AS25), reaching up to ~25 µg g⁻¹ FW (p < 0.05). This is the first genome-wide identification of 41 ARF genes in Avicennia marina with expression responses to combined salt and auxin treatments. We identified 41 AmARF genes spread across 23 chromosomes. These genes are divided into four groups according to their phylogenetic relationships. Their coding regions encode amino acids from 361 to 1264, and the number of exons varies from 2 to an unspecified upper limit of 25. Examining these gene promoters revealed various hormone- and stress-response elements, with each gene containing distinct response elements. Sixteen miRNAs can inhibit various ARF genes, while protein–protein interactions and 3D structures offered valuable insights into AmARF proteins. GO enrichment analysis revealed that all 41 AmARFs are involved in the auxin-activated signaling pathway and are also involved in cell division. According to the expression experiments, 11 randomly selected genes showed predominantly upregulation in response to salt and IAA stressors compared with controls. These findings extend our understanding of the functional roles of AmARFs in stress responses. The systematic annotation of AmARF family genes offers candidate genes for future functional validation, which may help elucidate the precise roles of AmARFs in stress responses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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21 pages, 13597 KB

Open AccessArticle

Systematic Analysis of the CCoAOMT Gene Family in Isatis indigotica and the Molecular Mechanism of CCoAOMT8-Mediated Flavonoid Synthesis Under Alkaline Stress Treatment

by Bo Liu, Lingyang Kong, Junbai Ma, Shan Jiang, Lengleng Ma, Jiao Xu, Weichao Ren and Wei Ma

Biology 2025, 14(11), 1518; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111518 - 30 Oct 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 850

Abstract

Caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) is one of the key regulatory enzymes in the lignin biosynthesis pathway. In addition, it participates in the modification of flavonoids, which significantly impacts plant growth, development, and antioxidant capacity, and it plays a crucial role in plant responses to stress and adversity. There is a current research gap in the CCoAOMT gene family of Isatis indigotica, particularly in terms of systematic identification and functional validation. Therefore, this study employed bioinformatics techniques to determine the composition of the CCoAOMT gene family in the Isatis indigotica genome. Eight members of the IiCCoAOMT gene family were identified, and their gene structures and motifs are relatively conserved. These members of the IiCCoAOMT family are located on three different chromosomes (3, 6, and 7) and exhibit significant tandem replication. According to phylogenetic research, IiCCoAOMT is divided into four distinct groups: Ia, Ib, Ic, and II. It is worth noting that the IiCCoAOMT genes in group Ia may be candidate genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and indirectly affect the content of flavonoid components., Subsequently, a yeast one-hybrid experiment verified that IiWRKY48 and IiWRKY54 could activate the CCoAOMT gene promoter in Isatis indigotica. These results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the function of CCoAOMT genes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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24 pages, 8846 KB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of NRT Gene Family in Suaeda glauca

by Zitong Ou, Jin Sun, Xueli Li, Haoran Feng, Xingguang Chen, Sisi Liang, Zhonghua Guo, Lulu Wang, Xiaoping Niu, Jinbiao Ma, Sheng Wang, Yuan Qin and Yan Cheng

Biology 2025, 14(8), 1097; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14081097 - 21 Aug 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1281

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) is crucial for plant growth and stress resistance and is primarily absorbed and transported by nitrate transporters (NRT). Suaeda glauca, known for its strong salt-alkali stress resistance, and SgNRT genes have rarely been reported. This study aims to identify and analyze the SgNRT gene family to understand its composition, evolutionary patterns, and roles in salt stress responses. We identified 212 SgNRTs, which were categorized into three branches, with SgNRT1/SgNPF and SgNRT2 as the major families. Structural analysis, conserved domains, chromosomal localization, and collinearity were also examined. Spatiotemporal expression characteristics of SgNRT genes were analyzed, revealing specific expression across 13 organs or tissues and dynamic responses to salt treatment over 48 h. Notably, SgNRT1.185, SgNRT2.25, and SgNRT2.2 exhibited rapid salt induction in leaves (activated within 0.5 h, peaking at 2 h), with SgNRT1.185 showing relatively high upregulation. SgNRT1.185 and SgNRT2.35 were induced by high salt concentrations (200 mM) in both roots and leaves. SgNRT2.35 exhibited higher basal and stress-induced levels than the other genes. Bioinformatics analysis suggests spatially specific expression of SgNRT genes, potentially involved in nitrogen absorption and transport across various developmental stages and organs/tissues of Suaeda glauca. These findings offer a theoretical basis for understanding the adaptive strategies of Suaeda glauca under saline-alkali stress and provide insights into the functional evolution of plant NRT genes, aiding in the development of stress-resistant crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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20 pages, 5242 KB

Open AccessArticle

Metabonomics Analysis Reveals the Influence Mechanism of Three Potassium Levels on the Growth, Metabolism and Accumulation of Medicinal Components of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. (Apiaceae)

by Jialin Sun, Jianhao Wu, Alyaa Nasr, Zhonghua Tang, Weili Liu, Xiubo Liu and Wei Ma

Biology 2025, 14(5), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14050452 - 22 Apr 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1226

Abstract

Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. is a commonly used bulk Chinese herbal remedy. Due to the large-scale mining of wild Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd., its natural resources are gradually exhausted. In addition, there are some problems in Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. cultivation, such as lack of guidance, excessive application of fertilizers and so on, which lead to the yield and quality of Bupleurum to be below the standard value. Therefore, it is significant to clarify the regulation of quality and yield under different levels of fertilizers. In this study, three different levels of potassium fertilizer were applied; then, the metabolites in different parts of Bupleurum were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to detect the alterations in the metabolic spectrum and recognize both the accumulation and distribution of key metabolites in response to each level of potassium fertilizer. The contents of various mineral elements, such as sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron, and copper, in different parts of Bupleurum under different potassium levels were determined. Potassium fertilizer had a significant impact on the absorption and distribution of these mineral elements. There were synergistic and antagonistic effects between each element and K⁺. The results showed that low and high potassium levels could promote the progression of main shoots and roots, but inhibited the accumulation of dry matter in lateral shoots and flowers. Low potassium levels stimulated the content of saikosaponin a in all plant parts, while high potassium levels inhibited the accumulation of most saikosaponin a,c and d. A total of 77 metabolites were identified by GC–MS, of which glycerol, d-glucose, silane and copper phthalocyanine were highlighted as the key metabolites in response to potassium fertilizer. The abovementioned metabolites are mapped into insulin signaling pathways, streptomycin biosynthesis, galactose metabolism and other metabolic pathways, sustaining the metabolic regulation of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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20 pages, 6435 KB

Open AccessArticle

Physiological Changes and Time-Course Transcriptomic Analysis of Salt Stress in Chenopodium quinoa

by Peipei Li and Yemeng Zhang

Biology 2025, 14(4), 416; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14040416 - 13 Apr 2025

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1494

Abstract

Quinoa, a halophytic pseudocereal crop, is highly resistant to harsh growing environments and is considered a suitable crop for cultivation in marginal areas. The germination period plays a decisive role in the formation of the crop population and the growth and development of quinoa, but our understanding of the regulatory mechanism of salt stress remains limited. In this study, we investigated the physiological changes and mechanisms of tolerance response to salt stress in quinoa seedlings. The results showed that salt stress severely reduced the growth of quinoa seedlings. Moreover, salt stress increased the H₂O₂ level in the seedlings, thereby aggravating lipid peroxidation of the cell membrane and consequently increasing MDA content. Meanwhile, the antioxidant enzyme activities such as POD, SOD, GR and GPX of seedlings were enhanced in response to salt stress, which was consistent with the results of the RNA-sequencing. These results suggest that the increase in antioxidant enzyme activities in quinoa seedlings attenuates the ORS imbalance caused by salt stress. In addition, we identified 69, 40, 120 and 47 key genes in the “photosynthesis”, “glutathione metabolism”, “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis” and “starch and sucrose metabolism” pathways, respectively. Moreover, the predicted 235 transcription factors involved in the salt stress response have various hormone cis-elements in their promoter regions, which also indicates that multiple hormones are involved in the salt stress response process in quinoa. Therefore, we hope that these genes and mechanisms will provide some basis for understanding salt tolerance in quinoa. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Salt Stress in Plants)

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