Oilseed crop productivity under salt stress

Abstract

Agricultural production around the world, especially where it mainly depends on irrigation, is confronted with serious challenges of coping with soil salinity conditions as well as saline irrigation water. Soil salinity is increasing regularly throughout the world and has become a great menace for agriculture. About 800 million hectares of the world land are salt-affected, of which 397 million hectares are saline and 434 million hectares sodic. Soil salinity adversely affects crop growth and productivity. In oilseed crops, salt stress affects both vegetative and reproductive growth stages by reducing growth, delaying the onset of flowering, reducing the quantum of reproductive structures and delaying the maturation processes, ultimately leading to diminished crop yield. Additionally, it affects production of several enzymes leading to the reduction of glycerides and modification of the fatty acid profile, important quality determinants of seed oil. Thus, salt stress has become a major factor affecting oilseed production worldwide. Here, we have reviewed the effects of salt stress on growth and productivity of oilseed crops. Additionally, different strategies employed by crop plants against salt stress as well as research reports describing genetic and transgenic approaches designed for improving plants ability to overcome salt stress are discussed.