Abstract
Salinity threatens agricultural production systems across the globe. While the major focus of plant researchers working in the field of salinity stress tolerance has always been on sodium and potassium, the transport patterns and physiological roles of Cl− in plant salt stress responses are studied much less. In recent years, the role of Cl− in plant salinity stress tolerance has been revisited and has received more attention. This review attempts to address the gap in knowledge of the role of Cl− transport in plant salinity stress tolerance. Cl− transport, Cl− exclusion, vacuolar Cl− sequestration, the specificity of mechanisms employed in different plant species to control shoot Cl− accumulation, and the identity of channels and transporters involved in Cl− transport in salt stressed plants are discussed. The importance of the electrochemical gradient across the tonoplast, for vacuolar Cl− sequestration, is highlighted. The toxicity of Cl− from CaCl2 is briefly reviewed separately to that of Cl− from NaCl.
Highlights
Soil salinity affects nearly 50% of all irrigated land in the world, and is a major constraint to crop yield (Fita et al, 2015)
INCONSISTENT RESULTS OF CL– CONTENT IN PLANT SPECIES WITH CONTRASTING SALINITY TOLERANCE: THE IMPORTANCE OF INTRACELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF CL– IN PLANT SALT TOLERANCE
It has been argued that plant salt tolerance is related to the ability to regulate both Na+ and Cl– transport to avoid toxicity (Tavakkoli et al, 2011)
Summary
Soil salinity affects nearly 50% of all irrigated land in the world, and is a major constraint to crop yield (Fita et al, 2015). To the contrary, less accumulation of shoot Cl– in salt tolerant than sensitive species (Tavakkoli et al, 2011) may not be due to root Cl– exclusion. In terms of breeding salt tolerant species, knowing the key transporters and channels controlling Cl− exclusion could be very helpful.
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