Coping with soil salinity: Lessons from a wild rice species
Climate change and sea level rise is increasingly affecting coastal regions of India. Intrusion of sea water into agricultural lands in coastal regions is increasing soil salinity (increasing soil sodium ion content), affecting agricultural productivity. Roots are plant organs that first perceive salt in the soil that is then transported into root tissues, into the xylem for transport to aerial organs (leaf tissues/reproductive parts). Salinity disrupts ion homeostasis in plants (mostly potassium ions that is a macro-ion needed for plant growth and development).