Flooding tolerance in halophytes

New Phytol. 2008;179(4):964-974. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02483.x. Epub 2008 May 13.

Abstract

Flooding is a common environmental variable with salinity. Submerged organs can suffer from O(2) deprivation and the resulting energy deficits can compromise ion transport processes essential for salinity tolerance. Tolerance of soil waterlogging in halophytes, as in glycophytes, is often associated with the production of adventitious roots containing aerenchyma, and the resultant internal O(2) supply. For some species, shallow rooting in aerobic upper soil layers appears to be the key to survival on frequently flooded soils, although little is known of the anoxia tolerance in halophytes. Halophytic species that inhabit waterlogged substrates are able to regulate their shoot ion concentrations in spite of the hypoxic (or anoxic) medium in which they are rooted, this being in stark contrast with most other plants which suffer when salinity and waterlogging occur in combination. Very few studies have addressed the consequences of submergence of the shoots by saline water; these have, however, demonstrated tolerance of temporary submergence in some halophytes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Hypoxia
  • Oxygen / metabolism
  • Plant Development
  • Plant Roots / growth & development
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plant Shoots / growth & development
  • Plant Shoots / metabolism
  • Plants / metabolism*
  • Sodium Chloride / metabolism
  • Soil
  • Water / metabolism*

Substances

  • Soil
  • Water
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Oxygen