Skip to Main Content

Study identifies mechanism that allows plants to tolerate salt

Zhu showing a plant

Purdue University scientists have discovered a signaling pathway necessary for plant salt tolerance. The findings are important for understanding how plants overcome some environmental stresses.

Zhu working in greenhouseHigh salt already affects about 20 percent of the world’s arable land, reducing crop yields. By 2050, it’s thought that around half of all cropland will be impacted by salinity. The development of salt-tolerant crops, then, will be important for feeding a population expected to approach 10 billion by 2050.

Jian-Kang Zhu, distinguished professor of plant biology, Chunzhao Zhao, a senior researcher, and Omar Zayed, a doctoral student, identified a series of cell wall proteins that sense the salt-induced modification of cell wall. Those start a cascade, leading to the activation of intracellular signaling pathways that are essential to a plant’s growth in the presence of salt.

Purdue scientists, collaborating with colleagues at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Nanjing Agricultural University, reported their findings in the Proceedings of the of the National Academy of Sciences.

Specifically, salt activates cell-wall leucine-rich repeat extensins (LRX) 3/4/5 in Arabidopsis, a model plant. Those proteins regulate the activity of two peptides – RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTOR (RALF) peptides RALF22/23 – which interact with protein kinase FERONIA (FER) in the cell plasma membrane.

Plants with mutations of the LRX and FER genes, and plants with overexpressed RALF22 or RALF23 were sensitive to salt stress and did not grow well.

The research was funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Featured Stories

The Purdue Bell Tower behind some green tree branches
2025 Hovde Award nominees sought

Purdue University is accepting nominations for the 2025 Frederick L. Hovde Award of Excellence,...

Read More
Purdue Alumni and John Deere employees stand by a tractor they have had a part in designing.
ABE alumni drive hydraulic innovation at John Deere

The iconic green John Deere tractor is evolving with an exciting new option – a battery...

Read More
Upinder Kaur, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, works on a robot dog that finds ticks and identifies tick activity.
Using artificial intelligence to understand the natural world

Purdue Agriculture researchers are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and...

Read More
Boats sailing near shore, picture from a above
Ag Boilers Abroad: Studying sustainability beyond borders

Planning your next trip abroad? Learn about key strategies and experiences through the adventures...

Read More
Lydia Pultorak works in the Geoinformatics, Ecosystem Management and Soil Sustainability Lab; Lydia holds a small snake; Lydia holds a Northern Saw-whet Owl.
Meet FNR Outstanding Sophomore Lydia Pultorak

Sophomore wildlife major Lydia Pultorak has been selected as FNR’s Outstanding Sophomore...

Read More
student using a tablet in an agricultural field
Purdue Agronomy eLearning Academy Celebrates Ten Years of Serving Agriculture

When agribusiness leaders expressed a need for professional development courses to enhance their...

Read More
To Top