Influence of salinity of legume plants and their use for restoration of soil fertility

Salinity is one of the biggest harmful stress factors that limit the stability of plants and their productivity, as well as reduce the fertility of soils. Therefore, the research on plant protection mechanisms against high salt concentration in the environment and the search for ways to increase their resistance to this stress factor are relevant today. The presented literature review describes the peculiarities of legume response to salt stress, in particular during the establishment of relationship with nodule bacteria. High concentrations of salt in soil lead to the interruption of some vital processes in legumes and thus cause a significant decrease in both crop quality and harvest size. So, the results of studies which indicate a negative effect of salt stress on growth and development, hormonal status, photosynthesis and carbon assimilation, osmotic processes, maintaining the ion homeostasis and the formation of reproductive organs are given. Special attention is paid to the question of the influence of salinity on the interaction between plants and rhizobia during nodule formation and their further functioning. It is noteworthy that the presence of certain adaptive mechanisms as well as the peculiarities of growth and development of legumes, in particular their capability to form symbiotic nitrogen fixation systems with nodule bacteria, suggest a possibility of using certain species of this family for the remediation of saline soils. The importance of the selection of salt-resistant rhizobia strains and the effectiveness of rhizobia in combination with other beneficial microorganisms for agriculture are noted.