Plants responses and their physiological and biochemical defense mechanisms against salinity: A review

Abstract

Plants confront an extent of abiotic stresses due to environmental hardship, among which salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that seizes plant growth and development resulting in a massive yield loss worldwide. Plants respond to salinity in two distinct phases: a quick osmotic phase and a sluggish ionic phase also known as hyper osmotic phase. Plants adjustment and/or tolerance to salinity stress comprise several complex physiological, biochemical and molecular networks. A widespread understanding of how plants response to salinity stress at different phases, and a cohesive physiological and biochemical approaches are crucial for the development of salt adapted and/or tolerant varieties for salt-affected areas. Researchers have identified several adaptive responses to salinity stress at cellular, biochemical and physiological levels, even though mechanisms triggering salt stress adaptation and/or tolerance are far from being entirely understood. This article bestows a spacious review of foremost research advances on physiological and biochemical mechanisms governing plant adaptation and/or tolerance to salinity stress relevant to environmental sustainability and as well as food production.