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- Title
Effects, tolerance mechanisms and management of salt stress in lucerne (Medicago sativa).
- Authors
Al-Farsi, Safaa Mohammed; Nawaz, Ahmad; Anees-ur-Rehman; Nadaf, Saleem K.; Al-Sadi, Abdullah M.; Siddique, Kadambot H. M.; Farooq, Muhammad
- Abstract
Lucerne (alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.) is a forage legume that is widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The main aim of this review was to highlight the effects of salt stress on the performance of lucerne and to suggest different tolerance mechanisms and management strategies for improving its yield under salt stress. Salt stress significantly affects seed germination, carbon fixation, light harvesting, biological N2 fixation, mineral uptake and assimilation and dry-matter accumulation in lucerne. Accumulation of osmolytes or compatible solutes such as proline, polyamines, trehalose and soluble sugars confers salt tolerance in lucerne. Maintenance of low Na+ : K+ ratios, antioxidant enzyme activation, and hormonal regulation also help lucerne to withstand salt stress. The screening of diverse genotypes on the basis of germination indices, gas exchange, biomass production, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes might be useful for breeding salt-tolerant lucerne genotypes. Novel biotechnological tools and functional genomics used to identify salt-conferring genes and quantitative trait loci will help to improve salt tolerance. Use of rhizobial and non-rhizobial plant growth-promoting bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, exogenous application of osmoprotectants, and seed priming with brassinolide, gibberellic acid and salicylic acid may help to improve lucerne performance in saline environments. Growth, development and dry matter production of lucerne are affected by salt stress, which decreases seed germination, carbon fixation, light harvesting, biological N2 fixation, mineral uptake and assimilation and dry-matter accumulation. A comprehensive strategy involving existing genetic resources, exploiting new sources to create new variation, and a breeding approach involving many traits instead of just one is needed. Recent advances in the fields of biotechnology and genomics involving the identification of salt-conferring genes and quantitate trait loci will help to improve salt tolerance in lucerne.
- Subjects
ALFALFA; STRESS management; FUNCTIONAL genomics; VESICULAR-arbuscular mycorrhizas; CARBON fixation; ENZYME activation
- Publication
Crop & Pasture Science, 2020, Vol 71, Issue 5, p411
- ISSN
1836-0947
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1071/CP20033