Soil salinity is one of the major problems for agriculture
in semi arid regions. In Egypt, plants are subjected
to extreme climatic factors such as high temperatures and
drought. Under these conditions, dissolved salts may accumulate
in soils because of the insufficient leaching of ions.
An accumulation of salt in upper soil layers may be also
due to a unsuitable irrigation management.
Challenges faced by crop plants cultivated in the presence
of excess salt are disturbance of osmotic regulation, ion
imbalance, and oxidative stress, which impair plant metabolism
and growth.
Only a few crop species and genotypes are adapted to saline
conditions. The response of crops to salinity is a complex
phenomenon and involves changes in plant morphology
and physiology. In this review parameters associated
with whole plant response to salt stress are described with
special emphasis on findings in northern Africa