<p>Germination is a critical determinant of grain yield in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i>, and salinity poses a major stress factor in Tunisian soils. This study aims to evaluate the variability in salt tolerance among four Tunisian populations of <i>M. ciliaris</i>, Enfidha (TNC1), Soliman (TNC8), Rhayet (TNC10), and Mateur (TNC11) during germination under NaCl concentrations of 0, 125, and 175&#xa0;mM. ANOVA revealed significant differences among populations, lines, treatments, and their interactions for all germination traits. Salt stress led to a marked reduction in germination parameters, with the highest tolerance observed in lines from the Soliman population. Broad-sense heritability (<i>H</i><sup>2</sup>) was high, with values ranging from 0.66 to 0.94, reflecting substantial genetic stability across all germination traits under varying salinity levels. Hierarchical clustering categorized the 46 lines into three groups, highlighting the genetic diversity and phenotypic variability in response to salt stress. Four lines demonstrated notable salt tolerance at both 125 and 175&#xa0;mM NaCl, particularly line TNC8.1, which showed consistent performance across germination and growth stages. These results underscore the potential of the Soliman population (TNC8) as a valuable genetic resource for breeding salt-tolerant <i>M. ciliaris</i> varieties, offering a promising pathway for enhancing crop performance under saline conditions in Tunisia.</p>

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Identification of salt-tolerant Tunisian Medicago ciliaris lines during germination and early seedling stages under NaCl stress

  • Meriem Aloui,
  • Sabrine Hdira,
  • Asma Mahjoub,
  • Ndiko Ludidi,
  • Mounawer Badri

摘要

Germination is a critical determinant of grain yield in Medicago ciliaris, and salinity poses a major stress factor in Tunisian soils. This study aims to evaluate the variability in salt tolerance among four Tunisian populations of M. ciliaris, Enfidha (TNC1), Soliman (TNC8), Rhayet (TNC10), and Mateur (TNC11) during germination under NaCl concentrations of 0, 125, and 175 mM. ANOVA revealed significant differences among populations, lines, treatments, and their interactions for all germination traits. Salt stress led to a marked reduction in germination parameters, with the highest tolerance observed in lines from the Soliman population. Broad-sense heritability (H2) was high, with values ranging from 0.66 to 0.94, reflecting substantial genetic stability across all germination traits under varying salinity levels. Hierarchical clustering categorized the 46 lines into three groups, highlighting the genetic diversity and phenotypic variability in response to salt stress. Four lines demonstrated notable salt tolerance at both 125 and 175 mM NaCl, particularly line TNC8.1, which showed consistent performance across germination and growth stages. These results underscore the potential of the Soliman population (TNC8) as a valuable genetic resource for breeding salt-tolerant M. ciliaris varieties, offering a promising pathway for enhancing crop performance under saline conditions in Tunisia.