Identification of salt-tolerant wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) through physiological and ionic studies under salinity stress

Salinity is one of the primary abiotic stresses that restricts plant growth and hinders productivity worldwide. A comprehensive understanding of salt tolerance is crucial for the selection of reliable indices for breeding salt-tolerant wheat cultivars. The present study evaluated a diverse panel of 65 different wheat genotypes at the germination and seedling stage to characterize morpho-physiological and ionic traits under salt stress (150 mM NaCl). Salt stress caused 57.86, 63.33, 71.81, and 77.23% reductions in total dry weight (TDW), shoot dry weight (SDW), total fresh weight (TFW), and shoot fresh weight (SFW), respectively, in comparison to the control. Maximum inhibition of Na+ ion uptake was observed in tolerant genotypes, which was accompanied by a high Ca2+ uptake. The wheat genotypes showed a wide spectrum of genetic diversity for the determined characteristics in response to salt stress. Finally, four wheat genotypes were identified as salt-tolerant (IC47482, IC576886, IC335738, and EC339611) through a combination of biomass, yield, and multifactor analysis. Further, tolerant genotypes can maintain water content, chlorophyll, biomass, and ion homeostasis, resulting in higher dry matter production under salt stress. The identified salt-tolerant genotypes could be useful for developing new salt-tolerant wheat cultivars and further studies to underline the genetic mechanisms of salt tolerance in wheat.