Identification of Genes Conferring Plant Salt Tolerance using GWAS: Current Success and Perspectives

An understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie plant salt tolerance is important for both economic and scientific interests. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) is a promising approach to pinpoint genes that confer plant salt tolerance. With the advancement of supporting technology and methodology, GWAS has enabled the discovery of genes that play central roles in regulating plant salt tolerance in the past decade. Here, I highlight recent successful GWAS work in unveiling the molecular factors underlying plant salt tolerance and discuss the concerns and opportunities in conducting such experiments. It is anticipated that GWAS will be increasingly successful in the identification of key genes that are useful for crop improvement.