Screening and identification of salt tolerance soybean varieties and germplasms

Soil salinization is a globally prevalent abiotic environmental stress. The imbalance of ions caused by high concentrations of sodium chloride results in a 40% reduction in soybean yield. Soybean, as an important crop for soil quality improvement, necessitates the identification of salt-tolerant varieties and germplasms to effectively utilize and enhance saline-alkali land. In this study, we assessed the salt tolerance of 435 soybean varieties and germplasms during the seedling stage. Among them, Qihuang34, You2104, Hongzhudou, Pamanheidou, and Osage exhibited grade 1 salt tolerance rates surpassing other tested materials. Furthermore, Hongzhudou and Qihuang34 demonstrated higher salt tolerance during germination and emergence stages based on their elevated rates of emergence, salt tolerance index, chlorophyll content, and shoot fresh weights. Overall findings provide valuable resources for molecular breeding efforts aimed at developing salt-tolerant soybean varieties suitable for cultivation in saline-alkali soils.