Salt stress is one of the most harmful environmental stresses in recent times and represents a significant threat to food security. Soil salinization is caused by spontaneous natural processes of mineral dissolution and human activities such as inappropriate irrigation practices. Natural geological progressions like weathering of rocks, arid climate, and higher evaporation, as well as anthropogenic activities, including the use of brackish water for irrigation, and poor tillage operations, are the foremost causes of soil salinization. Typical characteristics of saline soils are salt stress, high pH, and lack of organic carbon, as well as low availability of nutrients. Disruption of precipitation patterns as well as high average annual temperatures due to climate change additionally negatively affects the process of soil salinization. Productivity and ability to support crop growth are reduced on saline soil. Salinity-induced stress reduces plant growth by modulating the antioxidative system and nutrient orchestration. The aim of this work is to show that the mentioned problems can be alleviated in several ways such as the addition of biochar, exogenous application of several elicitors, seed priming, etc. Research has shown that the addition of biochar can significantly improve the recovery of saline soil. The addition of biochar has no significant effect on soil pH, while the cation exchange capacity of the soil increased by 17%, and the electrical conductivity of the saturated paste extract decreased by 13.2% (depends on the initial salinity and the type of biochar raw material). Moreover, biochar enriched with silicon increases the resistance of bananas to salt stress. In addition, exogenous application of several elicitors helps plants to alleviate stress by inducing stress-related physicochemical and molecular changes (selenium, sulfur, silicon, salicylic acid). Finally, seed priming showed positive effects on metabolomics, proteomics and growth of plants subjected to abiotic stress. Priming usually involves immersing the seed in a solution for a period of time to induce physiological and metabolic progression prior to germination.
References
[1]
Brown, R.W., Reay, M.K., Centler, F., Chadwick, D.R., Bull, I.D., McDonald, J.E., et al. (2024) Soil Metabolomics—Current Challenges and Future Perspectives. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 193, Article 109382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109382
[2]
Salt-Affected Soils: Discovering a Missed Reality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQcax3Rv4oA
[3]
Bratovcic, A. (2022) Positive Aspects of Nanotechnology on Agricultural Sustainable Development: Application of Nanoparticles and Fibers for Increasing Agricultural Yield. International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research, 8, 780-798. https://doi.org/10.51193/ijaer.2022.8606
[4]
Metternicht, G. and Alfred Zinck, J.A. (2008) Soil Salinity and Salinization Hazard. In: Metternicht, G. and Zinck, J.A., Eds., Remote Sensing of Soil Salinization, CRC Press, 3-18.
[5]
Kumar, P. and Sharma, P.K. (2020) Soil Salinity and Food Security in India. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 4, Article 533781. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.533781
[6]
Hussain, S., Shaukat, M., Ashraf, M., Zhu, C., Jin, Q. and Zhang, J. (2019) Salinity Stress in Arid and Semi-Arid Climates: Effects and Management in Field Crops. In: Hussain, S., Ed., Climate Change and Agriculture, IntechOpen, 13. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87982
[7]
Gong, H., Li, Y. and Li, S. (2021) Effects of the Interaction between Biochar and Nutrients on Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration in Soda Saline-Alkali Grassland: A Review. Global Ecology and Conservation, 26, Article e01449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01449
[8]
Csikós, N. and Tóth, G. (2023) Concepts of Agricultural Marginal Lands and Their Utilisation: A Review. Agricultural Systems, 204, Article 103560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103560
[9]
Nahar, L., Aycan, M., Hanamata, S., Baslam, M. and Mitsui, T. (2022) Impact of Single and Combined Salinity and High-Temperature Stresses on Agro-Physiological, Biochemical, and Transcriptional Responses in Rice and Stress-Release. Plants, 11, Article 501. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11040501
[10]
Alexandratos, N. and Bruinsma, J. (2012) World Agriculture towards 2030/2050: The 2012 Revision. FAO Agricultural Development Economics Division.
[11]
Tilman, D., Balzer, C., Hill, J. and Befort, B.L. (2011) Global Food Demand and the Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108, 20260-20264. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1116437108
[12]
Rengasamy, P. (2006) World Salinization with Emphasis on Australia. Journal of Experimental Botany, 57, 1017-1023. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erj108
[13]
The World Map of Salt-Affected Soil. https://www.fao.org/soils-portal/data-hub/soil-maps-and-databases/global-map-of-salt-affected-soils/en/
[14]
Majeed, A. and Muhammad, Z. (2019) Salinity: A Major Agricultural Problem—Causes, Impacts on Crop Productivity and Management Strategies. In: Hasanuzzaman, M., Hakeem, K., Nahar, K. and Alharby, H., Eds., Plant Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Springer International Publishing, 83-99. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-06118-0_3
[15]
Shao, T., Gu, X., Zhu, T., Pan, X., Zhu, Y., Long, X., et al. (2019) Industrial Crop Jerusalem Artichoke Restored Coastal Saline Soil Quality by Reducing Salt and Increasing Diversity of Bacterial Community. Applied Soil Ecology, 138, 195-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.03.003
[16]
Stavi, I., Thevs, N. and Priori, S. (2021) Soil Salinity and Sodicity in Drylands: A Review of Causes, Effects, Monitoring, and Restoration Measures. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 9, Article 712831. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.712831
[17]
Mangal, V., Lal, M.K., Tiwari, R.K., Altaf, M.A., Sood, S., Kumar, D., et al. (2022) Molecular Insights into the Role of Reactive Oxygen, Nitrogen and Sulphur Species in Conferring Salinity Stress Tolerance in Plants. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 42, 554-574. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10591-8
[18]
El-Serafy, R.S., El-Sheshtawy, A.A., Atteya, A.K.G., Al-Hashimi, A., Abbasi, A.M. and Al-Ashkar, I. (2021) Seed Priming with Silicon as a Potential to Increase Salt Stress Tolerance in Lathyrus Odoratus. Plants, 10, Article 2140. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10102140
[19]
Li, J., Liu, D., Gong, H., Liu, Z. and Zhang, Y. (2023) Crop Yield Increments Will Enhance Soil Carbon Sequestration in Coastal Arable Lands by 2100. Journal of Cleaner Production, 432, Article 139800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139800
[20]
Bouma, J. (1989) Using Soil Survey Data for Quantitative Land Evaluation. In: Stewart, B.A., Ed., Advances in Soil Science, Springer, 177-213. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3532-3_4
[21]
Rossiter, D.G. (1996) A Theoretical Framework for Land Evaluation. Geoderma, 72, 165-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7061(96)00031-6
[22]
Ricardo, D. (1817) On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation. J.M. Dent and Sons.
[23]
Peterson, G.M. and Galbraith, J.K. (1932) The Concept of Marginal Land. Journal of Farm Economics, 14, 295-310. https://doi.org/10.2307/1230112
[24]
Kang, S., Post, W.M., Nichols, J.A., Wang, D., West, T.O., Bandaru, V., et al. (2013) Marginal Lands: Concept, Assessment and Management. Journal of Agricultural Science, 5, 129-139. https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v5n5p129
[25]
FAO (1999) Soil Salinity Assessment-Methods and Interpretation of Electrical Conductivity Measurements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage paper # 57. FAO, Rome. https://www.fao.org/4/x2002e/x2002e.pdf
[26]
Confalonieri, R., Jones, B., Van Diepen, K. and Van Oorshoven, J. (2014) Scientific Contribution on Combining Biophysical Criteria Underpinning the Delineation of Agricultural Areas Affected by Specific Constraints: Methodology and Factsheets for Plausible Criteria Combinations. Publications Office of the European Union.
[27]
Dauber, J., Brown, C., Fernando, A.L., Finnan, J., Krasuska, E., Ponitka, J., et al. (2012) Bioenergy from “Surplus” Land: Environmental and Socio-Economic Implications. BioRisk, 7, 5-50. https://doi.org/10.3897/biorisk.7.3036
[28]
Wiegmann, K., Hennenberg, K.J. and Fritsche, U.R. (2008) Degraded Land and Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production. Joint International Workshop on High Nature Value Criteria and Potential for Sustainable Use of Degraded Lands, Paris, 30 June-1 July 2008, 1-12.
[29]
Khanna, M., Chen, L., Basso, B., Cai, X., Field, J.L., Guan, K., et al. (2021) Redefining Marginal Land for Bioenergy Crop Production. GCB Bioenergy, 13, 1590-1609. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12877
[30]
Strijker, D. (2005) Marginal Lands in Europe—Causes of Decline. Basic and Applied Ecology, 6, 99-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2005.01.001
[31]
Dale, V.H., Kline, K.L., Wiens, J. and Fargione, J. (2010) Biofuels: Implications for Land Use and Biodiversity. Biofuels and Sustainability Reports, Ecological Societu of America.
[32]
James, L. (2010) Theory and Identification of Marginal Land and Factors Determining Land Use Change. Michigan State University.
[33]
Jones, R., Le-Bas, C., Nachtergaele, F., Rossiter, D., Schulte, R. and Van Velthuizen, H. (2014) Updated Common Bio-Physical Criteria to Define Natural Constraints for Agriculture in Europe: Definition and Scientific Justification for the Common Biophysical Criteria. Publications Office of the European Union.
[34]
Zhang, Q., Ma, J., Qiu, G., Li, L., Geng, S., Hasi, E., et al. (2012) Potential Energy Production from Algae on Marginal Land in China. Bioresource Technology, 109, 252-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.08.084
[35]
Milbrandt, A. and Overend, R.P. (2008) Assessment of Biomass Resources from Marginal Lands in APEC Economies, August 2009. https://www.nrel.gov/
[36]
Bratovcic, A. and Petrinic, I. (2020) Carbon Based Aerogels and Xerogels for Removing of Toxic Organic Compounds. In: Karabegović, I., Ed., New Technologies, Development and Application III, Springer International Publishing, 743-749. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46817-0_84
[37]
Saifullah, Dahlawi, S., Naeem, A., Rengel, Z. and Naidu, R. (2018) Biochar Application for the Remediation of Salt-Affected Soils: Challenges and Opportunities. Science of the Total Environment, 625, 320-335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.257
[38]
Yuan, Y., Liu, Q., Zheng, H., Li, M., Liu, Y., Wang, X., et al. (2023) Biochar as a Sustainable Tool for Improving the Health of Salt-Affected Soils. Soil & Environmental Health, 1, Article 100033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seh.2023.100033
[39]
Zhang, J., Bai, Z., Huang, J., Hussain, S., Zhao, F., Zhu, C., et al. (2019) Biochar Alleviated the Salt Stress of Induced Saline Paddy Soil and Improved the Biochemical Characteristics of Rice Seedlings Differing in Salt Tolerance. Soil and Tillage Research, 195, Article 104372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104372
[40]
He, Y., Yang, Y., Lin, Q., Jin, T., Zang, X., Yun, T., et al. (2023) Physio-Biochemical Evaluation of Si-Rich Biochar Amendment to Improve the Salt Stress Tolerance of Grand Nain and Williams Banana Genotypes. Industrial Crops and Products, 204, Article 117333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2023.117333
[41]
Nasiri, M., Andalibi, B., Khomari, S., Goli, E., Nasiri, S., El-Keblawy, A., et al. (2024) Enhancing Salt Stress Tolerance in Kidney Beans: The Synergistic Effects of Biochar and Salicylic Acid in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions. Plant Stress, 11, Article 100423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2024.100423
[42]
Bratovcic, A. and Saric, E. (2019) Biogenic Elements as Cofactors in Enzymes and Their Amount in the Chia Seed. In: Karabegović, I., Ed., New Technologies, Development and Application II, Springer International Publishing, 581-586. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18072-0_67
[43]
Bratovcic, A. (2020) Antioxidant Enzymes and Their Role in Preventing Cell Damage. Acta ScientificNutritional Health, 4, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.31080/asnh.2020.04.0659
[44]
Wang, X., Ding, J., Han, L., Tan, J., Ge, X. and Nan, Q. (2024) Biochar Addition Reduces Salinity in Salt-Affected Soils with No Impact on Soil Ph: A Meta-Analysis. Geoderma, 443, Article 116845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116845
[45]
Collinge, D.B. and Sarrocco, S. (2021) Transgenic Approaches for Plant Disease Control: Status and Prospects 2021. Plant Pathology, 71, 207-225. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13443
[46]
Chen, T., Shabala, S., Niu, Y., Chen, Z., Shabala, L., Meinke, H., et al. (2021) Molecular Mechanisms of Salinity Tolerance in Rice. The Crop Journal, 9, 506-520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2021.03.005
[47]
Azadi, N. and Raiesi, F. (2021) Salinity-Induced Changes in Cadmium Availability Affect Soil Microbial and Biochemical Functions: Mitigating Role of Biochar. Chemosphere, 274, Article ID: 129924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129924
[48]
Siregar, I.Z., Muharam, K.F., Purwanto, Y.A. and Sudrajat, D.J. (2020) Seed Germination Characteristics in Different Storage Time of Gmelina arborea Treated with Ultrafine Bubbles Priming. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 21, 4558-4564. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d211013
[49]
Habib, N., Ali, Q., Ali, S., Javed, M.T., Zulqurnain Haider, M., Perveen, R., et al. (2020) Use of Nitric Oxide and Hydrogen Peroxide for Better Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Water Deficit Conditions: Growth, Osmoregulation, and Antioxidative Defense Mechanism. Plants, 9, Article 285. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9020285
[50]
Ahmad, B., Zaid, A., Sadiq, Y., Bashir, S. and Wani, S.H. (2019) Role of Selective Exogenous Elicitors in Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress Tolerance. In: Hasanuzzaman, M., Hakeem, K., Nahar, K. and Alharby, H., Eds., Plant Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Springer International Publishing, 273-290. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-06118-0_12
[51]
Sardar, R., Ahmed, S., Shah, A.A. and Yasin, N.A. (2022) Selenium Nanoparticles Reduced Cadmium Uptake, Regulated Nutritional Homeostasis and Antioxidative System in Coriandrum sativum Grown in Cadmium Toxic Conditions. Chemosphere, 287, Article 132332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132332
[52]
Hawrylak-Nowak, B., Hasanuzzaman, M. and Matraszek-Gawron, R. (2018) Mechanisms of Selenium-Induced Enhancement of Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants. In: Hasanuzzaman, M., Fujita, M., Oku, H., Nahar, K. and Hawrylak-Nowak, B., Eds., Plant Nutrients and Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Springer Singapore, 269-295. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-9044-8_12
[53]
Tisarum, R., Theerawitaya, C., Samphumphung, T., Takabe, T. and Cha-um, S. (2019) Exogenous Foliar Application of Glycine Betaine to Alleviate Water Deficit Tolerance in Two Indica Rice Genotypes under Greenhouse Conditions. Agronomy, 9, Article 138. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9030138
[54]
Hussain, S., Ahmed, S., Akram, W., Ahmad, A., Yasin, N.A., Fu, M., et al. (2024) The Potential of Selenium to Induce Salt Stress Tolerance in Brassica Rapa: Evaluation of Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Phenomenon. Plant Stress, 11, Article 100331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2023.100331
[55]
Al-Mayahi, A., Menezes-Blackburn, D., Al-Ismaily, S., Al-Busaidi, H., Al-Siyabi, A., Al-Siyabi, B., et al. (2024) Elemental Sulfur Effects on Salt Leaching, Plant Growth, Nutrient Uptake, and Microbial Diversity in an Arid Saline Soil. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 23, 227-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2023.11.006
[56]
Akhter, N., Noreen, A., Saifullah, S., Noman, A., Shahnaz, M.M., Letuma, P.M., et al. (2023) Salt Ion Mediated Changes in Biochemical and Anatomical Characteristics of Brassica Napus Can Be Countered with Moringa Leaf Extract. South African Journal of Botany, 156, 352-364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2023.03.040
[57]
Choudhary, M., Jat, H.S., Mukhopadhyay, R., Kakraliya, M., Poonia, T., Phogat, A., et al. (2023) Functional Diversity and Behavioral Changes of Microbial Communities under Salt Affected Soils. Applied Soil Ecology, 190, Article ID: 105017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2023.105017
[58]
Sheoran, P., Sharma, R., Kumar, A., Singh, R.K., Barman, A., Prajapat, K., et al. (2022) Climate Resilient Integrated Soil-Crop Management (CRISCM) for Salt Affected Wheat Agri-Food Production Systems. Science of the Total Environment, 837, Article 155843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155843
[59]
Sharma, D.K., Chinchmalatpure, A.R., Mandal, A.K., Yadav, R.K., Chaudhari, S.K., Kumar, S., Sikka, A.K. and Thimmappa, K. (2015) Assessment of Production and Monetary Losses from Salt-Affected Soils in India. Technical Bulletin, Karnal, 1-99.