Effects of Sodium Salinity on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivation: A Review

Sodium salinity negatively affects and reduces yields in international agricultural systems. This stress decreases crop growth and development, causing tissue death, flowering abortion, and senescence of the fertilized embryo, and negatively affects enzymatic activity, protein synthesis, among other processes. Rice is a cereal of great international demand for its nutritional properties and its productivity is affected by the presence of salts in agricultural surfaces. The objective of this article is to review the main effects of sodium salinity on morpho-physiological characteristics in rice cultivation. For the design and strategy of the information search, a methodology was followed to compile and summarize the existing studies on the effects of sodium salinity on this crop. The results of this search showed that sodium salts cause poor root growth, chlorosis, leaf curling and leaf scorching in this cereal; it also induces stomatal closure, inhibits photosynthesis, alters cell metabolism, causes oxidative stress in the crop, influences spikelet sterility and grain yield, among other effects.