The salinity of the soil is a severe challenge to the sustainability of agricultural production. It causes significant loss in the productivity of crop plants. To overcome this problem, one of the possible solutions could be the identification and cultivation of salinity tolerant crop plants in salt affected land. Therefore, this study was designed to screen some varieties of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L. Family Poaceae), an equally important cereal crop for food and forage, for salinity tolerance in a pot experiment. Some eighteen varieties of Pearl Millet were utilized to investigate the morphometric and biochemical variations induced by saline stress. The plants were grown for three weeks under normal conditions in sand culture in disposable PVP cups with three inches diameter. Afterwards, the plants were challenged with salinity stress (aqueous solution of NaCl applied in successive steps of 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM with Hoagland’s nutrients). The plants adopted salinity stress after one week and harvested for various physio-biochemical attributes. The results showed that the varieties YBS-93, YBS-94, YBS-95 and YDR-8-1 exhibited tolerance toward salinity stress as their shoot length, root length, biomass production and K⁺ was maintained under salt stress. The levels of proline contents and free amino acids in their leaves were relatively higher under salt stress as compared with other varieties. The accumulation of Na⁺ in theses varieties was lower as compared to other varieties under saline stress. These findings indicated their potential strategy to cope with salinity stress. While theYBS-83, YBS-98, YCMP-19 and YCMP-34 varieties among the subjected eighteen varieties of Pearl Millet were screened as most sensitive varieties to salinity stress in these experimental conditions. Because these varieties had reduction in shoot length, root length biomass production and K⁺. Other varieties did not show any significant success in salinity stress management. This study has provided significant preliminary screening data of morphological and biochemical aspects of eighteen varieties of Pearl Millet for their capability of salinity tolerance. Further molecular investigations are underway which will be helpful in revealing insights of the salt tolerance mechanism and signaling pathways in the screened salt tolerant varieties.

土壤盐碱化对农业生产的可持续性构成严峻挑战。它导致作物生产力的显着损失。为了克服这个问题，可能的解决方案之一是在受盐影响的土地上识别和种植耐盐作物。因此，本研究旨在通过盆栽试验筛选一些珍珠粟（Pennisetum glaucum L. Family Poaceae）品种的耐盐性，珍珠粟是一种同样重要的粮食和饲料谷类作物。利用大约 18 个珍珠粟品种来研究盐胁迫引起的形态和生化变化。这些植物在正常条件下在直径为三英寸的一次性 PVP 杯中的沙培养中生长三周。然后，植物受到盐度胁迫的挑战（连续步骤施加 50、100、150 和 200 mM 的 NaCl 水溶液以及 Hoagland 营养物质）。一周后，植物接受盐度胁迫，并根据各种生理生化特性进行收获。结果表明，品种YBS-93、YBS-94、YBS-95和YDR-8-1表现出对盐胁迫的耐受性，在盐胁迫下其地上部长度、根长度、生物量和K+得以^维持。盐胁迫下其叶片中脯氨酸含量和游离氨基酸含量较其他品种较高。^{与其他品种相比，这些品种在盐胁迫下的Na +}积累量较低。这些发现表明了它们应对盐度胁迫的潜在策略。而在18个珍珠粟品种中，YBS-83、YBS-98、YCMP-19和YCMP-34品种被筛选为对盐胁迫最敏感的品种。^{因为这些品种的地上部长度、根长度、生物量产量和K +}均减少。其他品种在盐度胁迫管理方面没有表现出任何显着的成功。本研究为18个珍珠粟品种的耐盐能力的形态和生化方面提供了重要的初步筛选数据。进一步的分子研究正在进行中，这将有助于揭示筛选的耐盐品种的耐盐机制和信号通路。