**5. Conclusions and future perspectives**

**Cultivar Priming agent Duration of** 

174 Wheat Improvement, Management and Utilization

1 and 2% CaCl2 and KNO3

100, 150, and 200 mg L−1 kinetin and BAP

100, 150, and 200 mg L−1 GA3

2.5 mM Spd and 5 mM Spm

50 mM NaCl, CaCl2 , and

CaSO4

Kakaba and Paven-76

Tatara-96, Ghaznavi-98, Fakhri Sarhad, Bakhtawar-92, Pirsabaq-2004 and AUQAB-2000

MH-97, Inqlab-91

MH-97, Inqlab-91

MH-97, Inqlab-91

Inqlab-91 and SARC-1

**priming**

30 mM NaCl Seed soaked 0, 40, 80,

Seed soaked for 12 h

Seeds primed for 12 h

Seeds soaked for 12 h

Seeds soaked for 12 h

125 mM NaCl

Seed soaked for 12 h

**Salinity doses and duration**

5.97, 9.62, 13.28, and 16.9 dS m−1

and 120 mM NaCl, 55 d

**Major responses References**

Dugasa et al. [150]

Jamal et al. [32]

Iqbal et al. [105]

Iqbal and Ashraf [101]

Iqbal [151]

Afzal et al. [28]

• Increased germination with uniform

• Shortened the physiological maturity

• Enhanced the activities of enzymatic

• Maintained ionic balance by increas-

 and Ca2+ accumulation • Increased tillers per plant and grain

• Increased shoot dry weight and grain

• Enhanced the endogenous growth

ions in roots and

in roots and

• Increased tillers per plant

seedlings

period

ing K+

yield

yield

hormones

ing Na+

shoots

shoot

grain yield

homeostasis

yield

sugar

under CaCl2

• Improved K+

and reduced Na+

15 dS m−1 • Increased shoot growth and grain

• Maintained hormonal homeostasis

15 dS m−1 • Maintained ionic balance by decreas-

• Increased Ca2+ and K+

and Cl<sup>−</sup>

• Increased leaf salicylic acid concentration

• Enhanced beneficial mineral nutrient uptake by maintaining ion

photosynthesis rate

• Increased fertile tiller per plant and

• Increased biomass production and

• Increased germination percentage by increasing total soluble and reducing

and CaSO4

priming

and Ca2+ accumulation,

concentration

• Increased shoot and root length

• Increased biomass production

antioxidants

15 dS m−1 • Increased germination and early seedling establishment

> Wheat is the most popular and widely consumed cereal crops in the world due to its diverse uses. Most of the cultivated wheat is hexaploid which has some acquired tolerance to salt stress. However, increasing levels of salinity in irrigated lands make wheat production difficult because plant growth and productivity of wheat are severely affected by high salinity. Salt stress adversely

affects seed germination, plant growth, photosynthesis, water relations, nutrient uptake, and yield. Oxidative stress is one of the most common effects of salt stress in wheat. However, salt stress effects depend on the dose and duration of stress, and mostly on genotypes. Considering the importance of wheat and the adverse effects of salt stress, plant biologists are trying to develop strategies to improve salt tolerance in wheat. Some of the strategies are related to the genetic manipulation of salt-tolerant traits. Physiologists are also trying to find the adaptive mechanisms to cope with the salt stress. However, the actual physiological mechanism of salt stress tolerance is yet to be revealed. Therefore, coordinated attempts by plant physiologists, breeders, and agronomists are essential to find out a sustainable strategy to enhance salt tolerance in wheat.
