Diversity in wheat morphology and physiology under salt stress and its bioinformatic background

Salinity stress is an important abiotic factor limiting wheat production, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, due to improper irrigation, climate change, global warming, and soil salinity. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of salt stress on morphological, physiological, and molecular responses in local wheat cultivars. Within the scope of the study, germination percentage, root length (cm), number of roots (number), coleoptile length (cm), wet and dry seedling weight (g), relative water content (%), chlorophyll content (mg/g), soluble sugars (mg/g), proteins (mg/g), amino acid content (mg/g), proline accumulation and expression levels of SOS1, RAS1, TAS14 genes were analyzed and salinity tolerance was examined. The results revealed significant genetic differences in salinity tolerance among the tested wheat genotypes. Morphological evaluations revealed that genotypes LW5, LW6 and LW7 were the most resistant cultivars and showed superior tolerance to increasing salt levels with high germination rates, robust root and coleoptile development, while physiological analyses revealed that these resistant genotypes exhibited higher chlorophyll conservation, higher accumulation of soluble sugars and proline and improved osmotic adjustment mechanisms. At the molecular level, SOS1 was identified as the master regulator of ion homeostasis, RAS1 was involved in ABA-mediated stress signaling, and TAS14 was associated with osmotic stress tolerance. Phylogenetic and protein domain analyses confirmed the genetic diversity among these genotypes, highlighting the functional importance of these genes in salt stress adaptation. These findings suggest the necessity of combining molecular and traditional (classical) breeding strategies to develop high-yielding and salt-tolerant wheat varieties. The results obtained should be supported by field trials to validate the laboratory findings under agronomic conditions, accounting for variables such as environmental factors. Furthermore, future research should focus on the identification of additional stress-related genes and the use of transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to better understand the genetic mechanisms of salinity tolerance. KEYWORDS: Wheat, Salinity Stress, Morphology, Physiology, Molecular Analysis, Salt Tolerance, Abiotic Stress, Genetic Variation, Sustainable Agriculture