Comprehensive Evaluation of the Salt Tolerance of Soybean Germplasm Resources Cultivated by Heze Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Abstract

Soil salinization poses a serious threat to global food security, and screening for salt-tolerant soybean germplasm is an effective approach for the efficient utilization of saline–alkali lands. In this study, 116 soybean germplasm accessions developed by Heze Academy of Agricultural Sciences were used as materials. Initial screening for salt tolerance was conducted at the germination stage; then, tolerant accessions were selected and further validated under saline–alkali field conditions at maturity. Comprehensive evaluation was performed via principal component analysis and the membership function method, alongside correlation analysis of agronomic traits. A concentration of 0.5% NaCl (m/v) was determined to be the optimal screening concentration for seed germination, based on which seven strong salt-tolerant materials were selected. Field validation showed that grain weight per plant was strongly correlated with yield under salt stress among the seven accessions tested. The results indicated that Hedou 29 and Hedou 12 exhibited outstanding performance under both evaluation methods. Hedou 29 and Hedou 12 can serve as promising parental materials for salt-tolerant soybean breeding. This study provides empirical data support for breeding salt-tolerant soybean varieties and offers potential cultivar options for soybean production on saline–alkali soils in the Huang-Huai-Hai region.