Trait dissection of salinity tolerance with plant phenomics.

The phenotypic response of plants to high external levels of NaCl is very dynamic so the methods used for phenotyping should be able to capture those dynamics. Non-destructive high-throughput plant imaging enables researchers to measure salt stress-induced changes in plant growth over time. In addition, the color information of the digital images allows the quantification of leaf senescence induced through long-term exposure to NaCl. In combination with destructive leaf sampling to measure leaf [Na(+)], this approach allows dissection of salinity tolerance into its individual components.