LAUSR

This study aimed to employ plant print identification to screen a wild-type soybean (Glycine soja Seib. and Zucc.) and then hybridize it with a cultivated soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) (Lu, Chin Sci Bull 43:2074–2078, 1998) with a view to produce a salt-resistant variety. Scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and paraffin sectioning were employed to compare two varieties of wild soybeans (#028 and #029) captured from different eco-environments, and the one with a salt gland present –– wild soybean #029 – was chosen as the male parent for hybridization. Considering a soybean variety with low stem as female parent, hybridization was performed and a new variety of salt-resistant soybean resulted, Ji-Yu59, which opened up a new, cost-efficient way of soybean breeding. Under saline-alkali stress, our salt-tolerant wild soybean is anticipated to exhibit antagonism by evolving a series of salt-resistant structures, including a salt-containing vacuolar package and a salt gland. The salt gland would help eliminate salts from the soybean plant; upon maturity, a salt gland is known to be able to break up salts to release their respective ions, effectively reducing salt and alkali stress. Therefore, a wild soybean with salt gland is an excellent choice for the hybridization of salt-resistant soybean varieties.