Soil Salinity and Climate Change

Salinity is one of the main factors in reducing crop output due to poor plant growth. According to scientists, salinity affect the growth of crops in two ways: through the osmotic effect, which reduces the plants’ ability to absorb water and retard growth; and through ionic toxicity, which means that salts can enter the perspiration system and damage the leaf cells, resulting in a diminution in cell division and cell expansion. In cultivated areas, saline soils are universal in many parts of the world, particularly in West and Central Asia and Australia. In this chapter, we will address the following points: (i) the origins of soil salinity; (ii) the effects of salinity and sodicity on soil properties [soil chemical properties and physical and hydraulic properties]; and (iii) tolerance to saline stress by the growth of plants favoring rhizobacteria (PGPR) (IV) salinity management practices.