Recent Progress on the Salt Tolerance Mechanisms and Application of Tamarisk

Abstract

Salinized soil is a major environmental stress affecting plant growth and development. Excessive salt in the soil inhibits the growth of most plants and even threatens their survival. Halophytes are plants that can grow and develop normally on saline-alkali soil due to salt tolerance mechanisms that emerged during evolution. For this reason, halophytes are used as pioneer plants for improving and utilizing saline land. Tamarisk, a family of woody halophytes, is highly salt tolerant and has high economic value. Understanding the mechanisms of salt tolerance in tamarisk and identifying the key genes involved are important for improving saline land and increasing the salt tolerance of crops. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the salt tolerance mechanisms of tamarisk and the economic and medicinal value of this halophyte.

Keywords: application value; halophyte; salinization; salt tolerant; tamarisk.

Figure 1

Strategies of tamarisk coping with salt stress. (A). The general strategies of tamarisk to deal with salt stress at the whole plant level. This involves the absorption of salt from roots and the removal of salt in the leaf by salt glands, as well as the transport of ABA and other signaling molecules from the roots to the aboveground under salt stress, (B). The general strategies of tamarisk in response to salt stress at the cellular level. Intracellular strategies for dealing with salt stress involve a complex regulatory network that helps cells reduce the damage caused by salt stress and remove salt from the cell to maintain normal physiological metabolism. In the figure, the solid line represents a direct effect, and the dotted line represents an indirect effect; CNGC, cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel; NSCC, non-selective cation channel; CLC, chloride channel; HKT1, high-affinity potassium transporter; NHX1, tonoplast-located Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter; SOS1, salt overly sensitive 1 (plasma membrane-located Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter).

Figure 2

Main application value of tamarisk in three aspects.

Figure 3

Arborization process of tamarisk seedlings in a greenhouse, (A). Three-year-old natural tamarisk seedlings, (B). One-year-old arborized tamarisk seedlings, (C). Three-year-old arborized tamarisk seedlings.