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508784 
Journal Article 
Review 
Salt tolerance and salinity effects on plants: a review 
Parida, AK; Das, AB 
2005 
Yes 
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
ISSN: 0147-6513
EISSN: 1090-2414 
60 
3 
324-349 
WOS:000226147200012 
Plants exposed to salt stress undergo changes in their environment. The ability of plants to tolerate salt is determined by multiple biochemical pathways that facilitate retention and/or acquisition of water, protect chloroplast functions, and maintain ion homeostasis. Essential pathways include those that lead to synthesis of osmotically active metabolites, specific proteins, and certain free radical scavenging enzymes that control ion and water flux and support scavenging of oxygen radicals or chaperones. The ability of plants to detoxify radicals under conditions of salt stress is probably the most critical requirement. Many salt-tolerant species accumulate methylated metabolites, which play crucial dual roles as osmoprotectants and as radical scavengers. Their synthesis is correlated with stress-induced enhancement of photorespiration. In this paper, plant responses to salinity stress are reviewed with emphasis on physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance. This review may help in interdisciplinary studies to assess the ecological significance of salt stress. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
antioxidative enzymes; compatible solutes; ion homeostasis; photosynthesis; salt stress