Salt concentrations within a field are rarely uniform; therefore, one of the first symptoms indicating a salt problem is variability in crop growth within the field. Barren spots are not uncommon. Plants suffering from salt toxicity are stunted and dark blue green in color with tip burn and firing on the leaf margins.

Barley is the most salt tolerant cereal, followed by bread wheat (moderately-tolerant), and durum wheat (susceptible). Salinity toxicity in a field is often a sign of poor agronomic practices, that may be exasperated by growing resistant crops or varieties that permit salt accumulation to persist.

This set of materials express a range of reactions, which may be viewed in the Source file.

Source: CIMMYT Wheat Germplasm Bank