Abstract
The use of microbial derived compounds is a technological approach currently gaining popularity among researchers, with hopes of complementing, supplementing and addressing key issues associated with use of microbial cells for enhancing plant growth. The new technology is a promising approach to mitigating effects of salinity stress in agricultural crops, given that these compounds could be less prone to effects of salt stress, are required in small quantities and are easier to store and handle than microbial cells. Microorganism derived compounds such as thuricin17, lipochitooligosaccharides, phytohormones and volatile organic compounds have been reported to mitigate the effects of salt stress in agricultural crops such as soybean and wheat. This mini-review compiles current knowledge regarding the use of microbe derived compounds in mitigating salinity stress in crops, the mechanisms they employ as well as future prospects.
Highlights
Soil salinity is a global problem for agricultural production, in arid and semi-arid areas where crop production is significantly dependent on irrigation (Zahran, 1997, 1999; Glick, 2007; Egamberdieva and Kucharova, 2009; Egamberdieva and Lugtenberg, 2014; Shrivastava and Kumar, 2015)
Due to agricultural practices and a change in climate, which has resulted in a change in rainfall patterns, evapotranspiration and landscape hydrology (Bui, 2013), soil salinization is predicted to expand at a rate of 10% annually (Shrivastava and Kumar, 2015), an estimated 50% of arable land is projected to be salinity affected by 2050 (Jamil et al, 2011)
The fungus Fusarium oxysporum is a pathogen of many crop species, yet it produces volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that mitigated salinity stress effects in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, increasing chlorophyll content and leaf area (Li and Kanga, 2018)
Summary
Soil salinity is a global problem for agricultural production, in arid and semi-arid areas where crop production is significantly dependent on irrigation (Zahran, 1997, 1999; Glick, 2007; Egamberdieva and Kucharova, 2009; Egamberdieva and Lugtenberg, 2014; Shrivastava and Kumar, 2015). Irrigation is by far the major cause of human induced salinity, and is predominantly the cause of salinity in arid and semi-arid areas, where crop production is heavily dependent on irrigation (Rengasamy, 2006; Tank and Saraf, 2010; Rousk et al, 2011; Egamberdieva and Lugtenberg, 2014; Shrivastava and Kumar, 2015) Other anthropogenic factors, such as: application of fertilisers to the soil, deforestation and replacement of deep rooted perennial crops with shallow rooted annual crops have contributed to soil salinisation, in one way or another (Tanji, 2002; Rengasamy, 2006; Tank and Saraf, 2010; Rousk et al, 2011; Shrivastava and Kumar, 2015). Deforestation and replacement of perennial crops with shallow rooted annual crops may result in a rising water table, thereby depositing dissolved salts in upper layers of the soil (Tanji, 2002; Tank and Saraf, 2010)
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