Research Project: Understanding and Improving Salinity Tolerance in Specialty Crops

Location: Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit

Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)

Alfalfa MsSOS2 confers salinity tolerance by promoting lateral root growth and regulating Na+/K+ homeostasis - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Acharya, B.R., Reyes, L.A., Mishra, L., Ferreira, J.F., Skaggs, T.H., Sandhu, D. 2025. Alfalfa MsSOS2 confers salinity tolerance by promoting lateral root growth and regulating Na+/K+ homeostasis. Nature Scientific Reports. 15 Article 43187. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-21355-1.

Decoding the genetic basis of salinity tolerance in tomatoes through ion transport and stress regulation - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Sandhu, D., Pudussery, E., Akel, T.H., Cendan, L.A., Khoddamzadeh, A.A., Ferreira, J.F. 2025. Decoding the genetic basis of salinity tolerance in tomatoes through ion transport and stress regulation. ACS Agricultural Science and Technology. 5:1817-1826. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsagscitech.5c00209.

Untargeted metabolome reveals key metabolites and genes underlying salinity tolerance in maize - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Brar, M.S., De Souza, A., Ghai, A., Ferreira, J.F., Sandhu, D., Sekhon, R.S. 2025. Untargeted metabolome reveals key metabolites and genes underlying salinity tolerance in maize. The Plant Genome. 18: Article e70102. https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.70102.

Absorption and tissue accumulation of poly/perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) by Artemisia annua irrigated with waters spiked with six PFAS and their concentration in artemisia medicinal tea. - (Abstract Only)

Cilantro photosynthetic parameters in response to different flows of nutrient solutions prepared with brackish waters dominant in Na+, Cl-, or Ca2+ - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Pessoa, U.C., de Franca e Silva, E.F., de Oliveira, T.F., Ferreira, J.F., Rodrigues de Souza, E., Rolim, M.M., Oliveira da Silva, A., Santos Junior, J.A. 2025. Cilantro photosynthetic parameters in response to different flows of nutrient solutions prepared with brackish waters dominant in Na+, Cl-, or Ca2+. Water. 17(11). Article 1640. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111640.

Saturated hydraulic conductivity of nine soils according to water quality, soil texture, and clay mineralogy - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Vieira, C.B., Silva, G.H.M.C., de Almeida, B.G., Pessoa, L.G.M., Freire, F.J., de Souza Junior, V.S., de Melo, H.F., de Lima, L.G.G., do Nascimento Paiva, R.F., Ferreira, J.F.S., dos Santos Freire, M.B.G. 2025. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of nine soils according to water quality, soil texture, and clay mineralogy. Agronomy. 15(4). Article 864. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15040864.

Evaluating new breeding material for salinity tolerance in almond rootstocks and exploring novel sources of salinity tolerance in Prunus germplasm - (Abstract Only)

Comparative analysis of salinity tolerance mechanisms in geographically diverse maize genotypes - (Abstract Only)

An Introduction to Salinity and Sodicity. - (Book / Chapter)
Westhoff, A, Clay DE, Osterloh K, Clay SA, DeSutter TH, Nleya T, Ferreira, JFS, Suarez DL, and Sandhu D. 2024. An introduction to salinity and sodicity. In: Clay, DE, DeSutter TM, Clay SA, and Nleya T, (eds) Salinity and Sodicity: A Global Challenge to Food Security, Environmental Quality, and Soil Resilience, First Edition. American Society of Agronomy, Inc. / Crop Science Society of America, Inc. / Soil Science Society of America, Inc. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, USA, pp 1-5. DOI: 10.1002/9780891183976.ch1

Strategies for combating plant salinity stress: The potential of plant growth-promoting microorganisms - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Acharya, B., Gill, S.P., Kaundal, A., Sandhu, D. 2024. Strategies for combating plant salinity stress: The potential of plant growth-promoting microorganisms. Frontiers in Plant Science. 15. Article 1406913. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1406913.

Best morpho-physiological parameters to characterize seed-potato plant growth under aeroponics: A pilot study - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Filho, J.B., Fontes, P.C., Ferreira, J.F., Cecon, P.R., dos Santos, M.F. 2024. Best morpho-physiological parameters to characterize seed-potato plant growth under aeroponics: A pilot study. Agronomy. 14(3). Article 517. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030517.

miR828a-CsMYB114 module negatively regulates the biosynthesis of theobromine in Camellia sinensis - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Jin, Q., Zhong, W., Sandhu, D., Chen, L., Shao, C., Xie, S., Shang, F., Wen, S., Wu, T., Jin, H., Huang, F., Liu, G., Hu, J., Su, Q., Huang, M., Zhu, Q., Zhou, B., Zhu, L., Peng, L., Liu, Z., Huang, J., Tian, N., Liu, S. 2024. miR828a-CsMYB114 module negatively regulates the biosynthesis of theobromine in Camellia sinensis. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 72(8):4464-4475. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c07736.

Salt tolerance and foliar spectral responses in seedlings of four ornamental herbaceous species - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
de Oliveira, A., de Lacerda, C., Cavalcante, E.S., dos Santos Teixeira, A.S., de Oliveira, M., Ferreira, J.F., da Silva Sales, J., Canja, J.F., da Costa Bezerra, G.M. 2024. Salt tolerance and foliar spectral responses in seedlings of four ornamental herbaceous species. Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental. 28(5). Article e276677. https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v25n1p3-9.

mRNA-miRNA analyses reveal the involvement of CsbHLH1 and miR1446a in the regulation of caffeine biosynthesis in Camellia sinensis - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Jin, Q., Zhong, W., Sandhu, D., Chen, L., Shao, C., Shang, F., Xie, S., Huang, F., Chen, Z., Zhang, X., Hu, J., Liu, G., Su, Q., Huang, M., Liu, Z., Huang, J., Tian, N., Liu, S. 2024. mRNA-miRNA analyses reveal the involvement of CsbHLH1 and miR1446a in the regulation of caffeine biosynthesis in Camellia sinensis. Horticulture Research. 11(2). Article uhad282. https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhad282.

Exploring the Arabidopsis RNA-binding proteome and its dynamics under salinity stress - (Abstract Only)

Evaluating new breeding material for salinity tolerance in almond rootstocks and exploring novel sources of salinity tolerance in Prunus germplasm - (Abstract Only)

Developing alfalfa with enhanced salinity tolerance in a changing climate - (Abstract Only)

Exploring the genetic landscape of salinity tolerance in spinach: Expression profiling and insights from salinity responses - (Abstract Only)

Salinity responses in 24 guar genotypes: Tolerance mechanism and it's multigenetic regulation - (Abstract Only)

Combined effects of limonene and ivermectin on p-glycoprotein-9 gene expression of lambs infected with Haemonchus contortus - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Katiki, L.M., Giglioti, R., Ferreira, J.F., Pacheco, P.A., Barbosa, H.Z., Rodrigues, L., Verissimo, C.J., Braga, P.A., Amarante, A.F., Louvandini, H. 2023. Combined effects of limonene and ivermectin on p-glycoprotein-9 gene expression of lambs infected with Haemonchus contortus. Veterinary Parasitology. 324. Article 110069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110069.

Fields of the future: Pivotal role of Biosaline Agriculture in farming - (Other)
Gheyi, H.R., Sandhu, D., Lacerda, C.F. 2023. Fields of the future: Pivotal role of Biosaline Agriculture in farming. Agriculture. 13(9):1774. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13091774.

Divergent gene expression responses to salinity stress in 16 geographically diverse spinach genotypes - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Sandhu, D., Pudussery, M.V., William, M., Kaundal, A., Ferreira, J.F. 2023. Divergent gene expression responses to salinity stress in 16 geographically diverse spinach genotypes. ACS Agricultural Science and Technology. 3(9):795-804. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsagscitech.3c00149.

An advanced protocol for profiling RNA-binding proteins in Arabidopsis using plant phase extraction - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Zhang, Y., Xu, Y., Skaggs, T.H., Ferreira, J.F., Chen, X., Sandhu, D. 2023. An advanced protocol for profiling RNA-binding proteins in Arabidopsis using plant phase extraction. Biology Methods and Protocols. 8(1). Article bpad016. https://doi.org/10.1093/biomethods/bpad016.