JXB Advance Access published online on January 12, 2004
Journal of Experimental Botany, doi:10.1093/jxb/erh003
© 2004 by Oxford University Press
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9QG, UK
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: t.j.flowers{at}sussex.ac.uk.
Salinity is an ever-present threat to crop yields, especially in countries where irrigation is an essential aid to agriculture. Although the tolerance of saline conditions by plants is variable, crop species are generally intolerant of one-third of the concentration of salts found in seawater. Attempts to improve the salt tolerance of crops through conventional breeding programmes have met with very limited success, due to the complexity of the trait: salt tolerance is complex genetically and physiologically. Tolerance often shows the characteristics of a multigenic trait, with quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with tolerance identified in barley, citrus, rice, and tomato and with ion transport under saline conditions in barley, citrus and rice. Physiologically salt tolerance is also complex, with halophytes and less tolerant plants showing a wide range of adaptations. Attempts to enhance tolerance have involved conventional breeding programmes, the use of in vitro selection, pooling physiological traits, interspecific hybridization, using halophytes as alternative crops, the use of marker-aided selection, and the use of transgenic plants. It is surprising that, in spite of the complexity of salt tolerance, there are commonly claims in the literature that the transfer of a single or a few genes can increase the tolerance of plants to saline conditions. Evaluation of such claims reveals that, of the 68 papers produced between 1993 and early 2003, only 19 report quantitative estimates of plant growth. Of these, four papers contain quantitative data on the response of transformants and wild-type of six species without and with salinity applied in an appropriate manner. About half of all the papers report data on experiments conducted under conditions where there is little or no transpiration: such experiments may provide insights into components of tolerance, but are not grounds for claims of enhanced tolerance at the whole plant level. Whether enhanced tolerance, where properly established, is due to the chance alteration of a factor that is limiting in a complex chain or an effect on signalling remains to be elucidated. After ten years of research using transgenic plants to alter salt tolerance, the value of this approach has yet to be established in the field.
© 2004 Society for Experimental Biology
FOCUS PAPER
Improving crop salt tolerance
Abstract 
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  I. S. Moller, M. Gilliham, D. Jha, G. M. Mayo, S. J. Roy, J. C. Coates, J. Haseloff, and M. Tester Shoot Na+ Exclusion and Increased Salinity Tolerance Engineered by Cell Type-Specific Alteration of Na+ Transport in Arabidopsis PLANT CELL, July 1, 2009; 21(7): 2163 - 2178. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Klahn, D. M. Marquardt, I. Rollwitz, and M. Hagemann Expression of the ggpPS gene for glucosylglycerol biosynthesis from Azotobacter vinelandii improves the salt tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana J. Exp. Bot., April 10, 2009; (2009) erp030v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D.-J. Qing, H.-F. Lu, N. Li, H.-T. Dong, D.-F. Dong, and Y.-Z. Li Comparative Profiles of Gene Expression in Leaves and Roots of Maize Seedlings under Conditions of Salt Stress and the Removal of Salt Stress Plant Cell Physiol., April 1, 2009; 50(4): 889 - 903. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. Queiros, N. Fontes, P. Silva, D. Almeida, M. Maeshima, H. Geros, and F. Fidalgo Activity of tonoplast proton pumps and Na+/H+ exchange in potato cell cultures is modulated by salt J. Exp. Bot., March 1, 2009; 60(4): 1363 - 1374. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. O. R. Bargmann, A. M. Laxalt, B. t. Riet, B. van Schooten, E. Merquiol, C. Testerink, M. A. Haring, D. Bartels, and T. Munnik Multiple PLDs Required for High Salinity and Water Deficit Tolerance in Plants Plant Cell Physiol., January 1, 2009; 50(1): 78 - 89. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Albacete, M. E. Ghanem, C. Martinez-Andujar, M. Acosta, J. Sanchez-Bravo, V. Martinez, S. Lutts, I. C. Dodd, and F. Perez-Alfocea Hormonal changes in relation to biomass partitioning and shoot growth impairment in salinized tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants J. Exp. Bot., November 1, 2008; 59(15): 4119 - 4131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. E. Ghanem, A. Albacete, C. Martinez-Andujar, M. Acosta, R. Romero-Aranda, I. C. Dodd, S. Lutts, and F. Perez-Alfocea Hormonal changes during salinity-induced leaf senescence in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) J. Exp. Bot., August 1, 2008; 59(11): 3039 - 3050. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. A. Cuin, S. A. Betts, R. Chalmandrier, and S. Shabala A root's ability to retain K+ correlates with salt tolerance in wheat J. Exp. Bot., July 1, 2008; 59(10): 2697 - 2706. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J.R Witcombe, P.A Hollington, C.J Howarth, S Reader, and K.A Steele Breeding for abiotic stresses for sustainable agriculture Phil Trans R Soc B, February 27, 2008; 363(1492): 703 - 716. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. S. Anil, P. Rajkumar, P. Kumar, and M. K. Mathew A Plant Ca2+ Pump, ACA2, Relieves Salt Hypersensitivity in Yeast: MODULATION OF CYTOSOLIC CALCIUM SIGNATURE AND ACTIVATION OF ADAPTIVE Na+ HOMEOSTASIS J. Biol. Chem., February 8, 2008; 283(6): 3497 - 3506. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. de Lorenzo, F. Merchan, S. Blanchet, M. Megias, F. Frugier, M. Crespi, and C. Sousa Differential Expression of the TFIIIA Regulatory Pathway in Response to Salt Stress between Medicago truncatula Genotypes Plant Physiology, December 1, 2007; 145(4): 1521 - 1532. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Z. Chen, I. I. Pottosin, T. A. Cuin, A. T. Fuglsang, M. Tester, D. Jha, I. Zepeda-Jazo, M. Zhou, M. G. Palmgren, I. A. Newman, et al. Root Plasma Membrane Transporters Controlling K+/Na+ Homeostasis in Salt-Stressed Barley Plant Physiology, December 1, 2007; 145(4): 1714 - 1725. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. Brini, M. Hanin, I. Mezghani, G. A. Berkowitz, and K. Masmoudi Overexpression of wheat Na+/H+ antiporter TNHX1 and H+-pyrophosphatase TVP1 improve salt- and drought-stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana plants J. Exp. Bot., January 17, 2007; (2007) erl251v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J.-H. Liu, K. Nada, C. Honda, H. Kitashiba, X.-P. Wen, X.-M. Pang, and T. Moriguchi Polyamine biosynthesis of apple callus under salt stress: importance of the arginine decarboxylase pathway in stress response J. Exp. Bot., August 1, 2006; 57(11): 2589 - 2599. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. P. Jauhar Modern Biotechnology as an Integral Supplement to Conventional Plant Breeding: The Prospects and Challenges Crop Sci., July 25, 2006; 46(5): 1841 - 1859. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Koiwa, R. A. Bressan, and P. M. Hasegawa Identification of plant stress-responsive determinants in arabidopsis by large-scale forward genetic screens J. Exp. Bot., March 1, 2006; 57(5): 1119 - 1128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. D. Colmer, T. J. Flowers, and R. Munns Use of wild relatives to improve salt tolerance in wheat J. Exp. Bot., March 1, 2006; 57(5): 1059 - 1078. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Cuartero, M. C. Bolarin, M. J. Asins, and V. Moreno Increasing salt tolerance in the tomato J. Exp. Bot., March 1, 2006; 57(5): 1045 - 1058. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. N. Amzallag Perturbed reproductive development in salt-treated Sorghum bicolor: a consequence of modifications in regulation networks? J. Exp. Bot., November 1, 2005; 56(421): 2821 - 2829. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Vera-Estrella, B. J. Barkla, L. Garcia-Ramirez, and O. Pantoja Salt Stress in Thellungiella halophila Activates Na+ Transport Mechanisms Required for Salinity Tolerance Plant Physiology, November 1, 2005; 139(3): 1507 - 1517. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Tester and A. Bacic Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Grasses. From Model Plants to Crop Plants Plant Physiology, March 1, 2005; 137(3): 791 - 793. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. T. Estan, M. M. Martinez-Rodriguez, F. Perez-Alfocea, T. J. Flowers, and M. C. Bolarin Grafting raises the salt tolerance of tomato through limiting the transport of sodium and chloride to the shoot J. Exp. Bot., February 1, 2005; 56(412): 703 - 712. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. Lee, R. N. Carrow, and R. R. Duncan Criteria for Assessing Salinity Tolerance of the Halophytic Turfgrass Seashore Paspalum Crop Sci., January 1, 2005; 45(1): 251 - 258. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. P. HAMMOND, M. R. BROADLEY, and P. J. WHITE Genetic Responses to Phosphorus Deficiency Ann. Bot., September 1, 2004; 94(3): 323 - 332. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Kumar, A. Dhingra, and H. Daniell Plastid-Expressed Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Gene in Carrot Cultured Cells, Roots, and Leaves Confers Enhanced Salt Tolerance Plant Physiology, September 1, 2004; 136(1): 2843 - 2854. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|