Characterization and Comprehensive Evaluation of Phenotypic and Yield Traits in Salt-Stress-Tolerant Peanut Germplasm for Conservation and Breeding

Abstract

Salt stress is a limiting factor affecting the growth, development, and yield of peanuts. Breeding improvement is a possible solution to overcome salt stress. The salt tolerance of 57 peanut cultivars in Northeast China was identified using indoor simulation at the germination stage, the seedling stage, and field natural identification. At the germination stage, 75 mM NaCl was the most suitable screening concentration, and the seed vitality index of 57 cultivars was analyzed using the membership function and cluster analysis. Among these cultivars, 11 were identified as salt-tolerant and 19 were salt-sensitive during germination. In the seedling stage, six salt tolerance coefficients (STCs) showed significant correlation. A gray relational analysis was used in combination with evaluation grading, resulting in the identification of 14 salt-tolerant cultivars and 12 salt-sensitive cultivars. In the field screening, a comprehensive analysis was conducted using a principal component analysis of nine indices, including agronomic characteristics, yield characteristics, and SPAD. This analysis led to the determination of three comprehensive indices. The weighted membership function was used for comprehensive evaluation. Finally, three salt-tolerant cultivars and four salt-sensitive cultivars suitable for planting in Northeast China were screened out to provide an excellent germplasm for researching the salt-tolerant mechanism of peanuts.

Screening of Germplasm and Construction of Evaluation System for Autotoxicity Tolerance during Seed Germination in Cucumber

“…The coefficient of determination of the equation R 2 = 0.9998 indicates that the fitted evaluation equation is reasonable. The previous work on the evaluation and screening of germplasm resources ended with the composite evaluation results, but there was a lack of validation of these results [45]. In this study, we conducted a result validation to ensure the reliability of the results.…”

Evaluating seed germination and early seedling growth of wild medicinal plants for saline soil cultivation

“…In addition, identifying salt-tolerant species at the seedling stage has significant implications for breeding programs, crop management practices, and ecosystem restoration. In breeding programs, this identification helps select genetic traits that promote salt tolerance, enhancing crop resilience in saline conditions, and improve agricultural productivity in salt affected regions (Afzal et al, 2023;Zhang et al, 2024). It also aids in developing specific crop management strategies, enabling farmers to allocate resources efficiently and minimize the adverse effects of salinity on crop yield (Trușcă et al, 2023).…”