SCREENING TECHNIQUES AND SOURCES OF TOLERANCE TO SALINITY AND MINERALNUTRIENT IMBALANCES IN COOL-SEASON FOOD LEGUMES

A large global land area is affected by saline, alkali (sodic), and ac id soil conditions. Cool season food legumes are important crops in ma ny countries with such adverse soils. Tolerant genotypes have been ide ntified in many crops, including legumes. However, very little has bee n published on selection of tolerant cool season food legume crops. Th e inadequate knowledge and understanding of the responses of cool seas on food legume crops to these abiotic stresses, necessitates action by a collaborative network of interdisciplinary teams to make rapid prog ress in identifying tolerant germplasm and developing cultivars better adapted to unfavorable soil conditions.