Preface

Among the major devastating abiotic challenges is the salinization of soils, which are natural finite resources sustaining most life on Earth. Soils exhibiting saturation paste extracts (ECe) in the root zone as electrical conductivity (EC) > 4.0 dS m−1 (≈ 40 mM NaCl; dSm-1 = decisiemens per meter) at 25°C and 15% exchangeable Na+ ion are considered saline. By the year 2050, a projected increase of 16.2 million ha will be witnessed in salt‐affected areas. In terms of tolerance to salinity levels, plants are grouped into two categories, namely halophytes (salinity tolerant and adapted to salinized environments) and glycophytes (salinity-sensitive plants). Unfortunately, most agricultural crop plants are glycophytes (salt sensitive), where soil salinization adversely inhibits the plants' absorption of water and nutrients and eventually severely impairs the major physiological/biochemical and molecular attributes of crop plants as well as their yield (30%–50% reduction). Thus, the salinity sensitivity of most crop plants, increasing rate of land salinization, and salinity-caused losses in crop productivity are challenging food security.

Interestingly, the life of plants under salinity can be made easier and more productive by employing strategies comprising optimum and timely supply of mineral nutrients, compatible solutes, bio-stimulants, nanomaterials, phytohormones, phenolic compounds, and microorganisms, as well as considering the crosstalk of mineral nutrients/biostimulants–phytohormones and molecular-genetic approaches. These approaches, in isolation and/or combination, may boost the efficiency of the plant's inherent mechanisms for its improved sustenance and productivity under salinity stress.

*Making Plant Life Easier and Productive Under Salinity – Updates and Prospects* introduces the concept of salinity, its major impacts, and important approaches for making plant life easier and more productive under salinity; reviews the scale and complexity of salinity impacts on Sri Lankan rice farming systems, along with presenting major actionable insights; reviews the salinity stress responses of major metabolites and in vitro production of terpene in plants; discusses the major mechanisms underlying phytohormone-mediated control of salinity impacts in plants; and appraises the literature on genomics-assisted breeding approaches for achieving salinity tolerance in cereal crops.

We believe that this volume will serve as an important resource for plant biologists and agriculturists as well as research students.

We would like to thank our publisher IntechOpen for providing a platform for showcasing our work. We are also thankful to Publishing Process Manager Mrs. Karla Skuliber for her efficiency and guidance, which helped us to accomplish this book project. Our sincere gratitude also goes to the chapter authors who contributed their time and expertise. Without their support, this book would not have become a reality.

> **Naser A. Anjum, Asim Masood and Nafees A. Khan** Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
