Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 82 (1): 163-168, 2009
REVIEW ARTICLE
Ectomycorrhizal fungi and tolerance to salinity in plants
The process of salinization of the soil is a widespread problem at the global level. In this
sense, ectomycorrhizal fungi have an important role in the recovery of forest soil, as it involves a number of cellular mechanisms that
may contribute to the salinity tolerance in plants that inhabit temperate and boreal forests. The participation of ectomycorrhizal fungi on
the salinity tolerance involves the ion-homeostasis regulation, improving uptake water and inducing specific gene in roots colonized.
Likewise ectomycorrhizal fungi can stimulate the presence of osmolytes as proline, sugars and polyols that contribute to the protection
of plant cells. Additionally, these organisms stimulate the synthesis of glutathione and antioxidant enzymes involved in the decrease of
reactive oxygen species. This review provides an overview of participation of ectomycorrhizal fungi in the salinity tolerance in
plants.
Key words:
salinity,
ectomycorrhizal fungi, tolerance
