Walls, toxicity and explosions: How plant cells protect themselves from salinity in soil

(Carnegie Institution for Science) Roots face many challenges in the soil in order to supply the plant with the necessary water and nutrients. New work shows that one of these challenges, salinity, can cause root cells to explode if the risk is not properly sensed. Salinity has deleterious effects on plant health and limits crop yields, because salt inhibits water uptake and can be toxic for plants. But plant biologists discovered a never-before-described effect that salt has on the plant cell wall.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news