Membrane Transporters and Waterlogging Tolerance

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010. All rights reserved. Oxygen deprivation and the subsequent accumulation of toxic secondary metabolites in soil are two major adverse processes linked with soil waterlogging stress. A plant's ability to control ion transport across cellular membranes in response to waterlogging stress is important for its waterlogging tolerance. This chapter summarises the impact of oxygen deprivation on membrane transport activity in plant cells and discusses the nature of putative oxygen sensors in living cells. The adverse effects of secondary metabolites produced under waterlogged conditions on the key membrane transporters mediating plant nutrient acquisition, are also discussed. It is suggested that a plant's ability to control the activity of key membrane transporters and to maintain K+ uptake in response to oxygen deprivation and secondary metabolite toxicity should be considered as useful traits in future breeding programmes. It is suggested that urgent attention should be paid to elucidate the molecular identity and control modes of key membrane transporters mediating plant adaptive responses to waterlogging.