Rudabeh Ravash

Amino acid metabolism. The initial response of plants to water deficiency is osmotic adjustment [51], which involves increasing the levels of certain amino acids to enhance stress tolerance. These amino acids serve as osmolytes, ROS scavengers, precursors of energy-related metabolites and signaling molecules. Studies on gene expression have demonstrated that various genes involved in amino acid metabolism, like proline, are regulated under drought stress [65].

1 Introduction Rice is a staple crop for over half the world’s population but it is very sensitive to salt stress. Many coastal and delta regions where rice is grown are affected by saltwater intrusion due to sea level rise which is causing vulnerability to the food security of resource poor farmers living in those regions and (Negrão et al., 2011). Developing rice varieties that can tolerate salt can help to increase crop yields in these areas and improve food security.