Salinity is an important abiotic environmental stress factor threatening agricultural productivity throughout the world. The detrimental effects of salinity stress are observed at cellular, organ and whole plant level at osmotic phase (early/short-term response) and ionic phase (late/long-term response). High salinity exerts its negative impact on major plant processes such as disrupting the osmotic and ionic equilibrium, protein synthesis, photosynthesis, energy, and lipid metabolism. To adapt and tolerate salt stress, plants have evolved physiological and biochemical mechanisms orchestrated by multiple biochemical pathways of ion homeostasis, osmolytes synthesis, ROS scavenging, and hormonal balance. At the molecular level, such adaptation involves activation of cascade(s) of gene modulations and synthesis of defense metabolites. In recent years, several candidate genes have been identified and employed to facilitate genetic engineering efforts to improve salt tolerance in crop plants. However, there is a further need of improvement for successful release of salt tolerant cultivars at the field level. In this article we present the physiological, biochemical and molecular signatures of plant responses to salinity, and outline their use in genetic engineering to improve salt stress tolerance.

中文翻译：

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植物盐胁迫：耐盐的适应性反应、耐受机制和生物工程

盐度是威胁全世界农业生产力的重要非生物环境胁迫因素。在渗透期（早期/短期反应）和离子期（晚期/长期反应）的细胞、器官和整株植物水平上观察到盐胁迫的不利影响。高盐度对主要植物过程产生负面影响，例如破坏渗透和离子平衡、蛋白质合成、光合作用、能量和脂质代谢。为了适应和耐受盐胁迫，植物进化出由离子稳态、渗透物合成、ROS清除和激素平衡等多种生化途径精心编排的生理和生化机制。在分子水平上，这种适应涉及基因调制级联的激活和防御代谢物的合成。最近几年，几个候选基因已被鉴定并用于促进基因工程努力，以提高作物植物的耐盐性。然而，为了在田间成功释放耐盐栽培种，还需要进一步改进。在这篇文章中，我们介绍了植物对盐分反应的生理、生化和分子特征，并概述了它们在基因工程中用于提高盐胁迫耐受性的用途。