Anpassung von Mais (Zea mays L.) an Bodensalinität: Strategien und Konzepte

Abstract

Worldwide crop production is largely affected by soil salinity in arid regions. Soil amelioration is a potential means that might help to solve this problem. However, high-quality water which is required to wash out salts is limited. As an alternative, breeding of crops that are adapted to these adverse conditions has been proposed long ago. Despite tremendous efforts the development of salinity-resistant crops has not been very successful so far. A major reason is that traits that realize resistance are inherited in a multi-genic way. Thus, although resistant plants do exist (e. g. wild plants) the combination of resistance with high-yielding potential still awaits accomplishment. In this paper a physiology-based approach is presented to improve the salt resistance of maize. According to this concept salt resistance in maize is subdivided into two major attributes, namely drought resistance and Na⁺ exclusion. The latter has been studied in detail and has led to an efficiently Na⁺-excluding inbred line. It is suggested that combination of Na⁺ exclusion and drought resistance will significantly improve the salt resistance of maize.