Soil salinity and drought tolerance: An evaluation of plant growth, productivity, microbial diversity, and amelioration strategies

Abstract

Global climate change affects weather patterns, affecting soil salinity and drought tolerance. Crop resilience and agriculture sustainability can be enhanced by exploring soil salinity, plant drought tolerance, microbial diversity, and remediation techniques. This review examines the morpho-physiological, molecular, and genetic mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to soil salinity and drought stress. It highlights their impact on plant growth, productivity, and microbial diversity. Diverse methods are investigated to tackle soil salinity and drought stress, encompassing chemical, physical, and biological approaches. Additionally, water-efficient agricultural practices and drought-resistant crop varieties are presented as ways to increase plant tolerance to these stresses. These implications for sustainable agriculture emphasize the potential of these findings to optimize resource utilization, increase crop yield, and promote environmental sustainability. These implications for sustainable agriculture emphasize the potential of these findings to optimize resource utilization, increase crop yield, and promote environmental sustainability. The review concludes by discussing future research directions, particularly the need for more study into the molecular basis of plant-microbe interactions and stress tolerance mechanisms. By advancing our knowledge in this field, we can develop innovative solutions to mitigate soil salinity and drought stress, ensuring food security and sustainable agriculture in changing climates.