Structure and Function of Salt Glands in Poaceae Plants

Abstract

Salinity is a major constraint to plant growth and development. Plants develop various organs such as salt glands to adapt to saline environments. Salt glands are located on the surface of shoots and excrete salts transported into the shoots. Almost all Poaceae plants, except for the subfamily Pooideae, possess bicellular trichomes called “microhairs”, and they act as salt glands in some species of the subfamily Chloridoideae. Salt glands in Poaceae contain distinctive structures that collect and excrete salts effectively. In addition to their contribution to salinity tolerance, these glands facilitate ion excretion, which plays a role in the circulation of elements and influences crop quality by altering the mineral concentration. This review describes diverse aspects of ion excretion via salt glands in Poaceae which includes many important crops and forage grasses, with a focus on recent findings.