scholarly journals Salinity Stress in Maize: Effects of Stress and Recent Developments of Tolerance for Improvement

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman EL Sabagh ◽  
Fatih Çiğ ◽  
Seyithan Seydoşoğlu ◽  
Martin Leonardo Battaglia ◽  
Talha Javed ◽  
...  

Soil salinity has emerged as a global threat to sustainability of farming systems by deteriorating the quality and productivity of crops particularly in the coastal regions of the world. Although, as a C4 plant, maize (Zea mays L.) has ability to tolerate a medium level of salinity; but initial growth stages of maize are sensitive to salinity stress. Therefore, it is crucial to expand our understanding pertaining to maize response to salt stress and tolerance mechanisms for devising approaches to enhance maize adaptability in saline environments. Moreover, maize crop undergoes several physiological changes and adapts some mechanism to overcome the salinity stress. Different mitigation strategies like application of chemicals, plant growth-promoting hormones, and use of genetic and molecular techniques are used to manage salinity and may ensure crop productivity under changing climate. This chapter aimed to assess the recent advancement pertaining to salinity stress influence on the physio-biochemical processes in maize and to draw the relationship between yield components and salinity stress. In addition, current study also highlights research gaps by focusing the seed enhancement techniques, phytohormones exogenous application and genetic improvement of maize under soil salinity.

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdel Wahab M. Mahmoud ◽  
Emad A. Abdeldaym ◽  
Suzy M. Abdelaziz ◽  
Mohamed B. I. El-Sawy ◽  
Shady A. Mottaleb

Salinity stress is a severe environmental stress that affects plant growth and productivity of potato, a strategic crop moderately sensitive to saline soils. Limited studies are available on the use of combined nano-micronutrients to ameliorate salinity stress in potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.). Two open field experiments were conducted in salt-affected sandy soil to investigate plant growth, physiology, and yield of potato in response to soil salinity stress under single or combined application of Zn, B, Si, and Zeolite nanoparticles. It was hypothesized that soil application of nanoparticles enhanced plant growth and yield by alleviating the adverse impact of soil salinity. In general, all the nano-treatments applications significantly increased plant height, shoot dry weight, number of stems per plant, leaf relative water content, leaf photosynthetic rate, leaf stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, and tuber yield, as compared to the untreated control. Furthermore, soil application of these treatments increased the concentration of nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Zn, and B) in plant tissues, leaf proline, and leaf gibberellic acid hormone (GA3) in addition to contents of protein, carbohydrates, and antioxidant enzymes (polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) in tubers. Compared to other treatments, the combined application of nanoparticles showed the highest plant growth, physiological parameters, endogenous elements (N, P, K, Ca, Zn, and B) and the lowest concentration of leaf abscisic acid (ABA) and transpiration rate. The present findings suggest that soil addition of the aforementioned nanoparticles can be a promising approach to improving crop productivity in salt-affected soils.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2299
Author(s):  
Hiba M. Alkharabsheh ◽  
Mahmoud F. Seleiman ◽  
Omar A. Hewedy ◽  
Martin L. Battaglia ◽  
Rewaa S. Jalal ◽  
...  

The productivity of cereal crops under salt stress limits sustainable food production and food security. Barley followed by sorghum better adapts to salinity stress, while wheat and maize are moderately adapted. However, rice is a salt-sensitive crop, and its growth and grain yield are significantly impacted by salinity stress. High soil salinity can reduce water uptake, create osmotic stress in plants and, consequently, oxidative stress. Crops have evolved different tolerance mechanisms, particularly cereals, to mitigate the stressful conditions, i.e., effluxing excessive sodium (Na+) or compartmentalizing Na+ to vacuoles. Likewise, plants activate an antioxidant defense system to detoxify apoplastic cell wall acidification and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Understanding the response of field crops to salinity stress, including their resistance mechanisms, can help breed adapted varieties with high productivity under unfavourable environmental factors. In contrast, the primary stages of seed germination are more critical to osmotic stress than the vegetative stages. However, salinity stress at the reproductive stage can also decrease crop productivity. Biotechnology approaches are being used to accelerate the development of salt-adapted crops. In addition, hormones and osmolytes application can mitigate the toxicity impact of salts in cereal crops. Therefore, we review the salinity on cereal crops physiology and production, the management strategies to cope with the harmful negative effect on cereal crops physiology and production of salt stress.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suphia Rafique

Maize is the staple food crop and essential for world food security. Maize plants’ water requirement is high for proper growth and development at vegetative stage and grain formation at reproductive stage. Drought is the major abiotic stress that affects almost all the growth stages of maize crop and it has a strong impact on all the physiological process of maize plants. Similarly, N metabolism is of central importance during drought stress. Nitrogen (N) is one of the macronutrients; it is a major requirement for crop growth and grain yield of maize. Therefore, nitrogen and water separately or in combination are the two most critical factors in maize production. Drought modifies source-sink relations and weakens the source and sink strength, which disturbs plant’s growth, plant’s adaptation to stress, and consequently affects crop productivity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Zanetti ◽  
Barbara Alberghini ◽  
Ana Marjanović Jeromela ◽  
Nada Grahovac ◽  
Dragana Rajković ◽  
...  

AbstractPromoting crop diversification in European agriculture is a key pillar of the agroecological transition. Diversifying crops generally enhances crop productivity, quality, soil health and fertility, and resilience to pests and diseases and reduces environmental stresses. Moreover, crop diversification provides an alternative means of enhancing farmers’ income. Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) reemerged in the background of European agriculture approximately three decades ago, when the first studies on this ancient native oilseed species were published. Since then, a considerable number of studies on this species has been carried out in Europe. The main interest in camelina is related to its (1) broad environmental adaptability, (2) low-input requirements, (3) resistance to multiple pests and diseases, and (4) multiple uses in food, feed, and biobased applications. The present article is a comprehensive and critical review of research carried out in Europe (compared with the rest of the world) on camelina in the last three decades, including genetics and breeding, agronomy and cropping systems, and end-uses, with the aim of making camelina an attractive new candidate crop for European farming systems. Furthermore, a critical evaluation of what is still missing to scale camelina up from a promising oilseed to a commonly cultivated crop in Europe is also provided (1) to motivate scientists to promote their studies and (2) to show farmers and end-users the real potential of this interesting species.


Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 545
Author(s):  
Kumar Nishant Chourasia ◽  
Milan Kumar Lal ◽  
Rahul Kumar Tiwari ◽  
Devanshu Dev ◽  
Hemant Balasaheb Kardile ◽  
...  

Among abiotic stresses, salinity is a major global threat to agriculture, causing severe damage to crop production and productivity. Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is regarded as a future food crop by FAO to ensure food security, which is severely affected by salinity. The growth of the potato plant is inhibited under salt stress due to osmotic stress-induced ion toxicity. Salinity-mediated osmotic stress leads to physiological changes in the plant, including nutrient imbalance, impairment in detoxifying reactive oxygen species (ROS), membrane damage, and reduced photosynthetic activities. Several physiological and biochemical phenomena, such as the maintenance of plant water status, transpiration, respiration, water use efficiency, hormonal balance, leaf area, germination, and antioxidants production are adversely affected. The ROS under salinity stress leads to the increased plasma membrane permeability and extravasations of substances, which causes water imbalance and plasmolysis. However, potato plants cope with salinity mediated oxidative stress conditions by enhancing both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities. The osmoprotectants, such as proline, polyols (sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, lactitol, and maltitol), and quaternary ammonium compound (glycine betaine) are synthesized to overcome the adverse effect of salinity. The salinity response and tolerance include complex and multifaceted mechanisms that are controlled by multiple proteins and their interactions. This review aims to redraw the attention of researchers to explore the current physiological, biochemical and molecular responses and subsequently develop potential mitigation strategies against salt stress in potatoes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiferaw Feleke ◽  
Steven Michael Cole ◽  
Haruna Sekabira ◽  
Rousseau Djouaka ◽  
Victor Manyong

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has applied the concept of ‘circular bioeconomy’ to design solutions to address the degradation of natural resources, nutrient-depleted farming systems, hunger, and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Over the past decade, IITA has implemented ten circular bioeconomy focused research for development (R4D) interventions in several countries in the region. This article aims to assess the contributions of IITA’s circular bioeconomy focused innovations towards economic, social, and environmental outcomes using the outcome tracking approach, and identify areas for strengthening existing circular bioeconomy R4D interventions using the gap analysis method. Data used for the study came from secondary sources available in the public domain. Results indicate that IITA’s circular bioeconomy interventions led to ten technological innovations (bio-products) that translated into five economic, social, and environmental outcomes, including crop productivity, food security, resource use efficiency, job creation, and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Our gap analysis identified eight gaps leading to a portfolio of five actions needed to enhance the role of circular bioeconomy in SSA. The results showcase the utility of integrating a circular bioeconomy approach in R4D work, especially how using such an approach can lead to significant economic, social, and environmental outcomes. The evidence presented can help inform the development of a framework to guide circular bioeconomy R4D at IITA and other research institutes working in SSA. Generating a body of evidence on what works, including the institutional factors that create enabling environments for circular bioeconomy approaches to thrive, is necessary for governments and donors to support circular bioeconomy research that will help solve some of the most pressing challenges in SSA as populations grow and generate more waste, thus exacerbating a changing climate using the linear economy model.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1318
Author(s):  
Gurdeep Singh Malhi ◽  
Manpreet Kaur ◽  
Prashant Kaushik

Climate change is a global threat to the food and nutritional security of the world. As greenhouse-gas emissions in the atmosphere are increasing, the temperature is also rising due to the greenhouse effect. The average global temperature is increasing continuously and is predicted to rise by 2 °C until 2100, which would cause substantial economic losses at the global level. The concentration of CO2, which accounts for a major proportion of greenhouse gases, is increasing at an alarming rate, and has led to higher growth and plant productivity due to increased photosynthesis, but increased temperature offsets this effect as it leads to increased crop respiration rate and evapotranspiration, higher pest infestation, a shift in weed flora, and reduced crop duration. Climate change also affects the microbial population and their enzymatic activities in soil. This paper reviews the information collected through the literature regarding the issue of climate change, its possible causes, its projection in the near future, its impact on the agriculture sector as an influence on physiological and metabolic activities of plants, and its potential and reported implications for growth and plant productivity, pest infestation, and mitigation strategies and their economic impact.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document