ABSTRACT
Abstract. Food insecurity is more prominent in developing countries, and the problem is further worsened by different abiotic stresses that cause a substantial decline in the production of major crops. Among various abiotic stresses, salt stress is one of the major environmental limitations that greatly inhibits plant growth and affect both quantity and quality of yield. Plants employ a number of adaptations to avoid inhibitory effects of salinity. These adaptations include cellular homeostasis mainly through reduced Na+ uptake and subsequent compartmentalization in the vacuoles. Strategies such as exogenous application of osmoprotectants or induction of overproduction
of endogenous osmoprotectants could help the plants to overcome osmotic shock at early stage of salt stress as well as to maintain growth at later growth stages. In this chapter, we have highlighted potential physiochemical traits directly linked with salt tolerance of plants. In addition, we have discussed various possibilities of manipulating the physiochemical traits for induction of salt tolerance in the plants.
