Polyamines and Plant Growth Regulators: The Dynamic Duo Alleviating Salinity Stress in Plants a review

Abstract

Soil salinity is a critical issue that affects plants and leads to decreased productivity worldwide. When soil salinity occurs, it causes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative burst, and ionic imbalance in plant cells. These factors can result in plant death, reduced growth, and low crop yields. To overcome this problem, polyamines such as putrescine, spermine, and spermidine play a crucial role in plant defense against abiotic stress conditions. Polyamines are organic compounds that are naturally present in plants and are involved in various physiological processes such as growth, development, and stress response. Studies have shown that the exogenous application of polyamines can help plants withstand abiotic stress caused by soil salinity. This is because polyamines can regulate the expression of stress-responsive genes and activate various antioxidant enzymes that help scavenge ROS and reduce oxidative stress. Moreover, polyamines also help to maintain ion homeostasis in plant cells and prevent toxic ion accumulation, essential for plant survival under salt stress conditions. This review presents the most illustrious research on strengthening plants against abiotic stress by externally applying polyamines. It also provides some clues about the functions of polyamines and their interaction with other molecules. Overall, the use of exogenous polyamines to improve plant stress tolerance is a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture and food security.