Salt tolerance, in the biological process context, refers to the integrated physiological, cellular, and molecular mechanisms that enable organisms, particularly plants and some microbes, to maintain growth and viability under elevated external salinity. It encompasses ion homeostasis (e.g., selective uptake, compartmentalization of Na⁺ and Cl⁻, and maintenance of K⁺/Na⁺ ratios), osmotic adjustment via synthesis or accumulation of compatible solutes, regulation of water status, and activation of stress-responsive signaling pathways and transcriptional networks. These processes mitigate ion toxicity, oxidative stress, and metabolic disruption, thereby preserving membrane integrity, enzyme function, and overall cellular homeostasis in saline environments.
Scientists at the University of Lincoln have discovered a promising new way to help protect crops from one of climate change's growing threats to global food production—increasing soil salinity.
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 23, 2026
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38
As sea levels rise due to climate change, encroaching seawater will likely make freshwater environments saltier. In a new study, MIT researchers have shown how that increase in salinity might affect microbial ecosystems found ...
Ecology
Jul 17, 2026
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10
Due to artificial irrigation and rising temperatures, the concentration of salts (including sodium chloride, or "table salt") is increasing in soils worldwide. This is not only an environmental problem but also a challenge ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2026
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9
To people, salt is a kitchen staple. But to crops, too much of it can be devastating. Across coastal regions and irrigated agricultural land, salt is accumulating in soils, making it harder for plants to absorb water and ...
Ecology
Jul 9, 2026
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6
A smartwatch can tell us the level of oxygen in our blood, when our sleep is restless or the number of steps we take in a day. Now imagine that kind of tracking ability for plants. By the time farmers see curling leaves or ...
Biotechnology
Jul 9, 2026
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24
Over generations, a small North American frog has learned how to survive in a world that's getting increasingly saltier. But new research from the University of Missouri suggests that adaptation comes with an unexpected trade-off.
Ecology
Jul 6, 2026
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11
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have found how plant cells respond to stress. If their energy supply is disrupted by heat, drought or saline soils, chloroplasts—the cells' powerhouses—send an intracellular ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 2, 2026
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8
Researchers at the University of East Anglia have helped uncover a hidden ally in the fight against one of agriculture's greatest threats—salty soil. Led by Chinese collaborator Dr. Yanfen Zheng, the team's new study shows ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 24, 2026
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10
Living in the Dead Sea would be a very unpleasant experience for most creatures. With salt concentration above 30% and temperatures ranging from 10–50°C, it takes unique environmental adaptations to survive in such harsh ...
Evolution
Jun 3, 2026
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10
UC Riverside researchers have identified a mechanism that allows plants to rapidly slow growth in response to extreme environmental stress. The finding could help farmers grow more resilient crops, and one researcher continued ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 25, 2026
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