The local environment influences salt tolerance differently in four Salicornia europaea L. inland populations

Abstract

Abstract Salinity limits plant growth and crop production, impacting 8.7% of the earth’s surface. Plants growing in saline soils have adaptations that help them persist in these harsh environments. In this research, we studied the salt-stress response mechanism of four populations of Salicornia europaea by varying the salinity gradient between 0 and 1000 mM. Our results demonstrate that salinity changes the morphological traits, salinity stress biomarkers, and the activity of antioxidative enzymes in the shoots and roots of these plants differently. The present results suggest that plants from the Salzgraben Salzdahlum population in Germany were the most tolerant to salinity, followed by Inowrocław in Poland, which exhibited a higher content of CAT in roots at 1000 mM, which we attributed to its higher salt tolerance. The differential behavior in Salicornia populations confirms that the tolerance mechanism is population-specific. This study is essential for advancing saline agriculture, developing restoration strategies for saline areas, and exploring S. europaea as a potential functional food. The strong association between halophyte salinity tolerance, high biomass production, and enhanced cellular antioxidant defenses highlights its resilience and suitability for these applications.