%0 Journal Article %T PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS OF SALINITY TOLERANCE IN PLANTS %A Mustafa YILDIZ %A Hakan TERZ£¿ %A S¨¹leyman CENKC£¿ %A E. Suna ARIKAN TERZ£¿ %J Anadolu University Journal of Science and Technology - C. Life Sciences and Biotechnology %D 2011 %I Anadolu University %X Salt stress limits plant productivity in arid and semi arid regions. Salt stress causes decrease in plant growth by adversely affecting physiological processes, especially photosynthesis. Salinity tolerance is defined as the ability of plant to maintain normal rowth and development under salt conditions. Salt stress results in accumulation of low molecular weight compounds, termed compatible solutes, which do not interfere with the normal biochemical reactions. These compatible solutes such as carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and amides, quaternary ammonium compounds, polyamines andsoluble proteins may play a crucial role in osmotic adjustment, protection of macromolecules, maintenance of cellular pH and detoxification of free radicals. On the other hand, plants subjected to environmental stresses such as salinity produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and these ROS are efficiently eliminated by antioxidant enzyme systems. In plant breeding studies, the use of some physiological and biochemical markers for improving the salt tolerance in plants is crucial. In this review, the possibility of using some physiological and biochemical markers as selection criteria for salt tolerance is discussed. %K Salinity stress %K Salinity tolerance %K Physiological and biochemical markers %K Compatible solutes %K Antioxidant enzymes %U http://btd.anadolu.edu.tr/index.php/BTDC/article/view/25