Morphological and Molecular Responses of Prosopis alba Root Seedlings Induced by Saline Conditions

Abstract

Plant productivity is greatly affected by environmental factors. Salinity of soils is one of the main abiotic stress factors that lead to severe crop loss every year especially in arid and semiarid areas (Greenway and Munns, 1980). Although these environments may contain a variety of salts, sodium chloride is the most commonly considered source of salinity (Flowers et al., 1977). The primary effect of salt is experienced by the roots, i.e. by the most sensitive part of the plant to adverse factors which are present in the soil. Root elongation is critical to the ability of plants to survive salinity (Ashraf et al., 1986). The mechanism underlying salt stress tolerance involves morphological and biochemical responses related to the maintenance of cell viability. The analysis of ultrastructural and molecular changes in roots from Prosopis alba, a native tree of the Atacama desert in northern Chile, could provide information useful to understanding the design of strategies for the improvement of agriculture in saline zones.