Physiological Adaptation to Water Salinity in Six Wild Halophytes Suitable for Mediterranean Agriculture

Calone, Roberta; Bregaglio, Simone; Sanoubar, Rabab; Noli, Enrico; Lambertini, Carla; Barbanti, Lorenzo

doi:10.3390/plants10020309

Cited by 31 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…In a previous study [25], the perennial C4 shrub Atriplex halimus resulted as the most salt tolerant species among six wild halophytes common in the Mediterranean area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

The C4 Atriplex halimus vs. the C3 Atriplex hortensis: Similarities and Differences in the Salinity Stress Response

et al. 2021

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Soil properties and the ability to sustain agricultural production are seriously impaired by salinity. The cultivation of halophytes is seen as a solution to cope with the problem. In this framework, a greenhouse pot experiment was set up to assess salinity response in the perennial C4 species Atriplex halimus, and in the following three cultivars of the annual C3 Atriplex hortensis: green, red, and scarlet. The four genotypes were grown for 35 days with water salinity (WS) ranging from 0 to 360 mM NaCl. Plant height and fresh weight (FW) increased at 360 vs. 0 WS. The stomatal conductance (GS) and transpiration rate (E) were more severely affected by salinity in the C4 A. halimus than in the C3 species A. hortensis. This was reflected in a lower leaf water potential indicating stronger osmotic adjustment, and a higher relative water content associated with more turgid leaves, in A. halimus than A. hortensis. In a PCA including all the studied traits, the GS and E negatively correlated to the FW, which, in turn, positively correlated with Na concentration and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE), indicating that reduced gas exchange associated with Na accumulation contributed to sustain iWUE under salinity. Finally, FTIR spectroscopy showed a reduced amount of pectin, lignin, and cellulose under salinity, indicating a weakened cell wall structure. Overall, both species were remarkably adapted to salinity: From an agronomic perspective, the opposite strategies of longer vs. faster soil coverage, involved by the perennial A. halimus vs. the annual A. hortensis cv. scarlet, are viable natural remedies for revegetating marginal saline soils and increasing soil organic carbon.

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“…In a previous study [25], the perennial C4 shrub Atriplex halimus resulted as the most salt tolerant species among six wild halophytes common in the Mediterranean area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

The C4 Atriplex halimus vs. the C3 Atriplex hortensis: Similarities and Differences in the Salinity Stress Response

et al. 2021

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“…Land degradation resulting from salinity puts global agriculture in jeopardy, as it engulfs 3600 million hectares (Mha) out of 5200 Mha of world agricultural land, leading to the loss of USD 27.5 billion every year [ 1 , 2 ]. Furthermore, reports anticipate that the world population will increase to 9.7 billion by 2050, which would require 70% greater food production by that time, exerting additional pressure on the shrinking areas of agricultural land [ 3 ]. To feed the growing human population, many parts of the world in peril of drought are still using salt-contaminated ground water for irrigation [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive Mechanisms of Halophytes and Their Potential in Improving Salinity Tolerance in Plants

Rahman

Mostofa

Keya

et al. 2021

IJMS

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Soil salinization, which is aggravated by climate change and inappropriate anthropogenic activities, has emerged as a serious environmental problem, threatening sustainable agriculture and future food security. Although there has been considerable progress in developing crop varieties by introducing salt tolerance-associated traits, most crop cultivars grown in saline soils still exhibit a decline in yield, necessitating the search for alternatives. Halophytes, with their intrinsic salt tolerance characteristics, are known to have great potential in rehabilitating salt-contaminated soils to support plant growth in saline soils by employing various strategies, including phytoremediation. In addition, the recent identification and characterization of salt tolerance-related genes encoding signaling components from halophytes, which are naturally grown under high salinity, have paved the way for the development of transgenic crops with improved salt tolerance. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive update on salinity-induced negative effects on soils and plants, including alterations of physicochemical properties in soils, and changes in physiological and biochemical processes and ion disparities in plants. We also review the physiological and biochemical adaptation strategies that help halophytes grow and survive in salinity-affected areas. Furthermore, we illustrate the halophyte-mediated phytoremediation process in salinity-affected areas, as well as their potential impacts on soil properties. Importantly, based on the recent findings on salt tolerance mechanisms in halophytes, we also comprehensively discuss the potential of improving salt tolerance in crop plants by introducing candidate genes related to antiporters, ion transporters, antioxidants, and defense proteins from halophytes for conserving sustainable agriculture in salinity-prone areas.

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“…This study is a first field investigation on the feasibility of growing agretti under organic- like growing conditions as a Se-biofortified crop under saline and B-irrigated field conditions in the westside of Central California. Previous studies have identified agretti as a potential halophyte crop for growing in saline conditions ( Colla et al, 2006 ; Calone et al, 2021 ), as well as in in saline/Se-rich soils and irrigating with Se-enriched water under greenhouse conditions ( Centofanti and Bañuelos, 2015 ; Zhu et al, 2019 ). In this field study, agretti was grown on Se-rich soil and irrigated with either low -saline water or with saline water naturally enriched with Se and B at different irrigation rates (% of ET o ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salsola soda as selenium biofortification crop under high saline and boron growing conditions

et al. 2022

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In California, there is a shortage of good quality water available for irrigated agriculture due to severe drought. Consequently, saline groundwaters and drainage waters containing natural-occurring selenium (Se) and boron (B) salts are being considered as alternative sources of water for irrigation on salt and B tolerant crops like the edible halophyte-agretti (Salsola soda L.). In this multi-year field study, we evaluated agretti grown as a Se-biofortification crop in typical saline/B-laden soils (10 dS m−1 and 12 mg B/L) and irrigated with saline (3–8 dS m−1) and low-saline water (<1 d/S m) containing B (3–6 mg B/L) and Se (0.02–0.25 mg Se/L) at different evaporation transpiration (Eto) rates (100, 75, and 50 %, respectively). During the four-year study, fresh biomass yields ranged from 1 to 3 kg/m2 and were generally highest with irrigation at 100 % Eto with either saline or low-saline water. Tissue Se concentrations ranged from 2 to 3.2 mg Se / kg DW and 0.4–0.5 mg Se/kg DW with saline and low-saline irrigation, respectively. Selenium speciation in plant tissue showed the following: selenomethionine (SeMet) > selenate (SeO4) > methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys), irrespective of any treatment (i.e., year of planting, saline or low saline irrigation, rate of water application, direct seeding or transplanted). Agretti did not exhibit any toxicity symptoms as indicated by changes in total phenolic concentrations. Total phenolics ranged from 180 to 257 GAE/L and showed no significant differences among all treatments, although they were generally higher at the lowest water treatment (50% Eto). In regard to toxic ion accumulation, agretti tolerated excessive sodium (Na) and boron (B) and tissue concentrations ranging from 5.5 to 8.8% Na and 60 to 235 mg B/kg DW, respectively. Results from this multi-year study have identified a unique Se-biofortification strategy for producing Se-enriched agretti using saline, B- and Se-laden soil and irrigating with saline and low-saline water, respectively. Successful production of this crop may promote Se- biofortification strategies in poor quality regions where natural- occurring Se is present in soils and in waters used for irrigation.

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Physiological Adaptation to Water Salinity in Six Wild Halophytes Suitable for Mediterranean Agriculture

Cited by 31 publications

References 65 publications

The C4 Atriplex halimus vs. the C3 Atriplex hortensis: Similarities and Differences in the Salinity Stress Response

The C4 Atriplex halimus vs. the C3 Atriplex hortensis: Similarities and Differences in the Salinity Stress Response

Adaptive Mechanisms of Halophytes and Their Potential in Improving Salinity Tolerance in Plants

Salsola soda as selenium biofortification crop under high saline and boron growing conditions

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