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Reprogramming Plant Salt Tolerance: A Systems Biology Perspective on Algae-Derived Elicitors and Biostimulants
Junpeng Li1, Hongjie Sun1, Yunyi Shi1
1College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji' nan, China.
Plant, Cell & Environment
|August 11, 2026
Summary
Algae extracts boost crop salt tolerance by enhancing plant defense systems and ionic balance. Integrating algae into soil management offers sustainable solutions for climate-resilient agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Plant Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Soil salinization severely impacts global crop yields, causing osmotic stress, ion toxicity, and oxidative damage.
- Developing salt-tolerant crops is slow, necessitating rapid, sustainable agronomic solutions.
- Algae-derived bioactive compounds (polysaccharides, phytohormones, polyols) show promise as biostimulants and biofertilizers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the mechanisms by which algae and their extracts enhance plant salt tolerance.
- To evaluate the role of algal compounds in plant defense, ionic homeostasis, and stress signaling pathways.
- To assess the agricultural applications and future potential of algae in combating salinity stress.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing research on algae-plant interactions under salt stress.
- Analysis of molecular mechanisms: ionic homeostasis, osmotic adjustment, ROS scavenging, hormonal crosstalk.
- Comparative evaluation of algal extracts against other biostimulants and assessment of crop-specific efficacies.
Main Results:
- Algal compounds act as exogenous elicitors, modulating plant defense and reprogramming transcriptional networks.
- Algae facilitate ionic homeostasis via SOS pathway modulation and osmotic adjustment.
- Algal extracts effectively scavenge reactive oxygen species and influence hormonal signaling pathways.
Conclusions:
- Algae-derived biostimulants offer a sustainable strategy to enhance crop salt tolerance.
- Integration of algae into soil management improves rhizosphere health and soil remediation.
- Future research should focus on omics integration, synthetic biology, and precision agriculture for optimal algae utilization.
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