Biotechnological Potential of Galophytes and Their Microbiomes for Agriculture in Russia and Kazakhstan.

The low rainfall and high temperatures of arid and semi-arid zones promote high salinity and this salinity has become an important factor limiting the growth of salt-sensitive plants. More than 800 million hectares of land throughout the world are salt affected including 39.2 million hectares in Russia, while in Kazakhstan, salinized soils occupy about 40% of the country's area. Phytoremediation with the use of halophytes can be a cost-effective and environmentally sound technology for the remediation of salt-impacted sites. Halophytes could be valuable sources of novel endophytic isolates that can be used to overcome various biotic and abiotic stresses such as salinity. Endophytes can contribute to plant health impeded by salinity stress, by influencing phytohormonal levels and signaling, contributing to homeostasis maintenance of toxic ions under salinity stress, enhancing photosynthesis, and contributing to biomass production and allocation. The review is devoted to halophytic plants and endophytic microorganisms inhabiting them. Data on the possibility of using halophytes for remediation of saline soils are presented. The definitions of which plants can be considered halophytes are given, the mechanisms of adaptation of halophytes to salinity conditions are described. Data on the use of halophytes for the production of agricultural and other valuable products on saline soils are presented. The list of halophytes of practical value and promising for agricultural use on saline soils of Russia and Kazakhstan is given. Endophytic bacteria inhabiting halophytic plants are described and the results of their practical use for obtaining agricultural products on saline soils and phytoremediation of highly saline soils are presented. The selection of compatible and effective plant-microbial systems and their use to combat abiotic and biotic stresses of plants and produce agricultural products on saline soils is a promising scientific direction. This will make it possible to develop methodological approaches to solving one of the global problems of agricultural production—salinization and degradation of agricultural lands and obtaining products on them and to offer practical ways to implement it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]