Research Advancements in Salt Tolerance of Cucurbitaceae: From Salt Response to Molecular Mechanisms

Abstract

Soil salinization severely limits the quality and productivity of economic crops, threatening global food security. Recent advancements have improved our understanding of how plants perceive, signal, and respond to salt stress. The discovery of the Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) pathway has been crucial in revealing the molecular mechanisms behind plant salinity tolerance. Additionally, extensive research into various plant hormones, transcription factors, and signaling molecules has greatly enhanced our knowledge of plants' salinity tolerance mechanisms. Cucurbitaceae plants, cherished for their economic value as fruits and vegetables, display sensitivity to salt stress. Despite garnering some attention, research on the salinity tolerance of these plants remains somewhat scattered and disorganized. Consequently, this article offers a review centered on three aspects: the salt response of Cucurbitaceae under stress; physiological and biochemical responses to salt stress; and the current research status of their molecular mechanisms in economically significant crops, like cucumbers, watermelons, melon, and loofahs. Additionally, some measures to improve the salt tolerance of Cucurbitaceae crops are summarized. It aims to provide insights for the in-depth exploration of Cucurbitaceae's salt response mechanisms, uncovering the roles of salt-resistant genes and fostering the cultivation of novel varieties through molecular biology in the future.

Keywords: Cucurbitaceae; SOS; molecular mechanisms; salt stress; transcription factors.

Figure 1

A model summarizing the regulation mechanism of salt stress in plants. The different colors in the diagram represent distinct types of responses to salt stress: Blue shapes correspond to Molecular responses. Pink shapes correspond to Physiological responses. Gray shapes correspond to Biochemical responses.

Figure 2

Common salt tolerance evaluation indexes of Cucurbitaceae.

Figure 3

A model summarizing the molecular regulation mechanism in Cucurbitaceae.