Salicylic Acid and Jasmonic Acid in Generating Salt Stress-Tolerant Plants

Abstract

AbstractSalt toxicity is a severe environmental constraint which limits the growth and development of the plants. To overcome this unfavourable environmental situation, plants possess endogenous protective metabolites which reduce the toxicity of salt stress. Such metabolites cumulatively reduce salt-induced toxicity by reducing the accumulation of Na+ ions via up regulating the endogenous protective mechanisms of plants. Two such protective compounds are salicylic and jasmonic acids, also characterized as well-known stress related phytohormones. The precursor of salicylic acid is phenylalanine and chorismate, whereas that of jasmonic acid is α-linolenic acid. After being synthesised in the tissues, they are further processed to give methylated or glycosylated products which are utilized by plants for the induction of systemic acquired resistance against various abiotic stresses. These two acids do not only play an independent role during abiotic stress, but also work in a complex signal network with other plant hormones which help to abrogate the toxicity caused due to excess accumulation of Na+ ions and lower the level of other cytotoxic metabolites and reactive oxygen species during salt stress. This chapter focuses on the harmful effects of salt stress in various crops followed by metabolism and transportation of salicylic and jasmonic acids. The protective role of salicylic and jasmonic acid has been discussed along with their crosstalk with other plant hormones that synergistically help to ameliorate the salt-induced toxicity in plants.Keywordsα-linolenic acidChorismateJasmonic acidPhenylalaninePhytohormonesSalicylic acidSalt stress