We investigated two contrasting rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes:

👉 Korgut — a native salt-tolerant landrace
👉 Jaya — a high-yielding but salt-sensitive cultivar

🔬 Key findings:

• Ion homeostasis: Korgut maintains a significantly higher K⁺/Na⁺ ratio under salinity, thereby mitigating ionic toxicity.

• Antioxidant defense: Enhanced activities of ROS-scavenging enzymes in Korgut reduce oxidative stress.

• Membrane stability: Korgut exhibits elevated levels of unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and linolenic acids), which preserve membrane fluidity and functionality.

• Photosynthetic performance: These integrated mechanisms sustain photosynthetic efficiency and biomass accumulation under hypersaline conditions.

❌ In contrast, Jaya displays impaired ionic regulation, ROS accumulation, depletion of unsaturated fatty acids, and severe oxidative damage, leading to growth inhibition.

📖 Collectively, our 2022 studies elucidate multi-layered tolerance mechanisms in salt-resilient rice. These findings highlight potential biochemical and physiological biomarkers that can inform breeding programs aimed at developing climate-resilient cultivars capable of sustaining yields in saline and marginal environments.

👉 Open question: Which physiological or biochemical trait, in your view, holds the greatest potential for improving crop resilience under climate change–induced stresses?