Differences in Ion Accumulation and Salt Tolerance among Glycine Accessions

Salinity reduces crop yield by limiting water uptake and causing ion-specific stress. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is sensitive to soil salinity. However, there is variability among soybean genotypes and wild relatives for salt tolerance, suggesting that genetic improvement may be possible. The objective of this study was to identify differences in salt tolerance based on ion accumulation in leaves, stems and roots among accessions of four Glycine species. Four NaCl treatments, 0, 50, 75 and 100 mm, were imposed on G. max, G. soja, G. tomentella and G. argyrea accessions with different levels of salinity tolerance. Tolerant genotypes had less leaf scorch and a greater capacity to prevent Na+ and Cl− transport from soil solution to stems and leaves than sensitive genotypes. Magnitude of leaf injury per unit increase in leaf Na+ or Cl− concentrations was lower in tolerant than in susceptible accessions. Also, plant injury was associated more with Na+ rather than with Cl− concentration in leaves. Salt-tolerant accessions had greater leaf chlorophyll-meter readings than sensitive genotypes at all NaCl concentrations. Glycine argyrea and G. tomentella accessions possessed higher salt tolerance than G. soja and G. max genotypes.