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Agronomy
Volume 16
Issue 2
10.3390/agronomy16020227
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Hydroponic Screening and Comprehensive Evaluation System for Salt Tolerance in Wheat Under Full-Fertility-Cycle Salt Stress Conditions

by
Rongkai Li
,
Renyuan Wei
,
Yang Liu
,
Huimin Zhao
,
Zhibo Liu
,
Juge Liu
,
Huanhe Wei
,
Pinglei Gao
,
Qigen Dai
and
Yinglong Chen
*
Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2026, 16(2), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16020227 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 24 November 2025 / Revised: 19 December 2025 / Accepted: 12 January 2026 / Published: 17 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Plant-Crop Biology and Biochemistry)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Soil salinity is a major constraint to wheat production worldwide. Efficient screening of salt-tolerant cultivars is essential for breeding programs, yet a rapid and reliable evaluation system based on full-life-cycle salt stress treatment is lacking. To address this, we conducted a hydroponic experiment encompassing the entire growth cycle of 37 wheat cultivars under control and salt stress (85.5 mM NaCl). Using principal component and stepwise regression analyses on 15 agronomic and yield-related traits, we identified five key indicators—total dry weight, root dry weight, plant height, thousand-grain weight, and number of grains per spike—that effectively represent overall salt tolerance. Based on a comprehensive evaluation value (D-value), the cultivars were classified into five distinct categories: highly salt-tolerant, salt-tolerant, moderately salt-tolerant, weakly salt-tolerant, and salt-sensitive. Notably, the highly salt-tolerant cultivar ‘Yangfumai 8′ and the salt-sensitive cultivar ‘Yangmai 22’ were selected as representative extremes. A subsequent pot experiment confirmed significant physiological differences between them in antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, POD, CAT) and proline accumulation under salt stress. This study establishes a practical and efficient screening framework, providing breeders with a simplified index set for high-throughput evaluation and offering ideal contrasting materials for in-depth physiological research on salt tolerance mechanisms in wheat.
Keywords: wheat (Triticum aestivum L.); salt stress; comprehensive assessment; entire growth stage wheat (Triticum aestivum L.); salt stress; comprehensive assessment; entire growth stage

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Li, R.; Wei, R.; Liu, Y.; Zhao, H.; Liu, Z.; Liu, J.; Wei, H.; Gao, P.; Dai, Q.; Chen, Y. Hydroponic Screening and Comprehensive Evaluation System for Salt Tolerance in Wheat Under Full-Fertility-Cycle Salt Stress Conditions. Agronomy 2026, 16, 227. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16020227

AMA Style

Li R, Wei R, Liu Y, Zhao H, Liu Z, Liu J, Wei H, Gao P, Dai Q, Chen Y. Hydroponic Screening and Comprehensive Evaluation System for Salt Tolerance in Wheat Under Full-Fertility-Cycle Salt Stress Conditions. Agronomy. 2026; 16(2):227. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16020227

Chicago/Turabian Style

Li, Rongkai, Renyuan Wei, Yang Liu, Huimin Zhao, Zhibo Liu, Juge Liu, Huanhe Wei, Pinglei Gao, Qigen Dai, and Yinglong Chen. 2026. "Hydroponic Screening and Comprehensive Evaluation System for Salt Tolerance in Wheat Under Full-Fertility-Cycle Salt Stress Conditions" Agronomy 16, no. 2: 227. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16020227

APA Style

Li, R., Wei, R., Liu, Y., Zhao, H., Liu, Z., Liu, J., Wei, H., Gao, P., Dai, Q., & Chen, Y. (2026). Hydroponic Screening and Comprehensive Evaluation System for Salt Tolerance in Wheat Under Full-Fertility-Cycle Salt Stress Conditions. Agronomy, 16(2), 227. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16020227

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