ABSTRACT
The effect of salinity on the growth of halophytes differs from glycophytes in that salt marsh and salt desert species can tolerate higher salinities than plants from nonsaline habitats. The inhibition of plant growth under saline conditions may be due to osmotic effects or the effects of a specific ion toxicity. When describing the salt tolerance of an organism one must be careful to define the stage of development being tested, since the level of salt tolerance and growth responses may differ significantly at the various developmental stages. Growth of halophytes may be stimulated by a specific ion such as sodium or may represent a general response to the increased ionic content of the medium. A number of researchers have reported mycorrhizal associations with halophytes in coastal and inland saline environments. Salt pans in Utah containing over 2.0% total salts did not contain vegetation that was infected by mycorrhizal fungi.
