absorption strategy was detailed in addition to morphological strategies to counteract erosion and drought stresses. Moreover, chemicals compounds such as
polyphenols produced by Tamarix itself as a response to abiotic stresses are
examined. Moreover, the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as biological
tools to alleviate abiotic stresses was underlined. These responses collectively
determine different strategies to overcome abiotic stress and open the ways to
exploit the genes responsible for resistance strategies and to transfer them into
other agricultural plants to improve production in stressed areas.
Keywords
Abiotic stresses · Adaptive strategies response · Polyphenols · Reactive oxygen
species · Catalase activity
14.1 Introduction
Plants growing in field conditions are subjected to variety of environmental stress
conditions such as desertification, salinity, toxicity, drought, heat, nutrient limitation, inundation, sandstorm, and frost (Kuzminsky et al. 2014). To counteract these
abiotic stresses plant species have distinctly different adaptation strategies (Han et al.
2013). For that, it seems interesting to guide researches towards resistant plants, such
as thermo-xerophytes, heliophyles, and halophytic species (Khabtane and Rahmoun
2012) in order to exploit their mechanism of adaptation to obtain ecological balance
stability and to enhance economic productivity. Among these plants, Tamarix
species have been reported to be highly tolerant to many abiotic stresses (Han
et al. 2013), which makes exploration of their species diversity and their natural
tolerance to some particular stress highly interesting (Kuzminsky et al. 2014). In
fact, riparian species from the Tamaricaceae family are little exploited despite their
resistance to drought stress and their capacity for stabilization of the banks (Lavaine
et al. 2011a). However, Tamarix species possesses different mechanisms than those
currently known in other plant that allows them to grow and prosper in different
abiotic stress conditions (Kuzminsky et al. 2014; Guallar 2019), with some specific
genes which are expressed to overcome adverse conditions (Guallar 2019). Moreover, in Mediterranean region, about eleven Tamarix species are recorded,
occupying coastal dunes (Kuzminsky et al. 2014), Saharan areas (Baum 1978),
and steppic regions (Bencherif et al. 2016). The most widespread species are
Tamarix articulata (aphylla), Tamarix gallica, and Tamarix africana (Kaabech
and Benkheira 2000). In Algerian arid and semiarid areas Tamarix articulata and
Tamarix gallica are found on soils generally made of course materials and poor in
organic matter such as those found on the gravel-sandy banks of the edge of rivers,
T. gallica is also fond of clayey and sometimes saline soils (Kaabech and Benkheira
2000). Indeed, arid and semiarid Algerian areas are exposed to combination of
abiotic stress, which classified them as harsh ecosystems. Nevertheless, the species
which occupy these areas must be adapted to these drastic conditions. T. articulata
402
K. Bencherif et al.
polyphenols produced by Tamarix itself as a response to abiotic stresses are
examined. Moreover, the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as biological
tools to alleviate abiotic stresses was underlined. These responses collectively
determine different strategies to overcome abiotic stress and open the ways to
exploit the genes responsible for resistance strategies and to transfer them into
other agricultural plants to improve production in stressed areas.
Keywords
Abiotic stresses · Adaptive strategies response · Polyphenols · Reactive oxygen
species · Catalase activity
14.1 Introduction
Plants growing in field conditions are subjected to variety of environmental stress
conditions such as desertification, salinity, toxicity, drought, heat, nutrient limitation, inundation, sandstorm, and frost (Kuzminsky et al. 2014). To counteract these
abiotic stresses plant species have distinctly different adaptation strategies (Han et al.
2013). For that, it seems interesting to guide researches towards resistant plants, such
as thermo-xerophytes, heliophyles, and halophytic species (Khabtane and Rahmoun
2012) in order to exploit their mechanism of adaptation to obtain ecological balance
stability and to enhance economic productivity. Among these plants, Tamarix
species have been reported to be highly tolerant to many abiotic stresses (Han
et al. 2013), which makes exploration of their species diversity and their natural
tolerance to some particular stress highly interesting (Kuzminsky et al. 2014). In
fact, riparian species from the Tamaricaceae family are little exploited despite their
resistance to drought stress and their capacity for stabilization of the banks (Lavaine
et al. 2011a). However, Tamarix species possesses different mechanisms than those
currently known in other plant that allows them to grow and prosper in different
abiotic stress conditions (Kuzminsky et al. 2014; Guallar 2019), with some specific
genes which are expressed to overcome adverse conditions (Guallar 2019). Moreover, in Mediterranean region, about eleven Tamarix species are recorded,
occupying coastal dunes (Kuzminsky et al. 2014), Saharan areas (Baum 1978),
and steppic regions (Bencherif et al. 2016). The most widespread species are
Tamarix articulata (aphylla), Tamarix gallica, and Tamarix africana (Kaabech
and Benkheira 2000). In Algerian arid and semiarid areas Tamarix articulata and
Tamarix gallica are found on soils generally made of course materials and poor in
organic matter such as those found on the gravel-sandy banks of the edge of rivers,
T. gallica is also fond of clayey and sometimes saline soils (Kaabech and Benkheira
2000). Indeed, arid and semiarid Algerian areas are exposed to combination of
abiotic stress, which classified them as harsh ecosystems. Nevertheless, the species
which occupy these areas must be adapted to these drastic conditions. T. articulata
402
K. Bencherif et al.