Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Salinity is a major abiotic stress that limits wheat productivity and threatens global food security. This review provides a trait-oriented and integrative synthesis of wheat responses to salt stress by linking physiological mechanisms, phenotyping approaches, and genomic-assisted breeding strategies. We analyze the effects of ionic toxicity and osmotic imbalance on photosynthesis, ion homeostasis, and growth, while emphasizing recent progress in high-throughput phenotyping for the accurate identification of salt-responsive traits. The review further highlights the integration of wild germplasm, identifying salinity-resistant loci through quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and implementing CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing for specific enhancements. By connecting salt-responsive mechanisms with measurable traits and breeding applications, this review provides a trait-to-field perspective for improving salinity tolerance in wheat. This synthesis offers a strategic framework to expedite the creation of salt-tolerant, climate-resilient wheat cultivars for sustainable production in saline environments by merging physiological regulation, genomic innovation, and breeding application.
Source: Plant Stress
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,310
OpenAlex ID: W7223039899