Maneuvering Crop Wild Relatives (CWRs) to Revamp Salt Tolerance in Crops

The increasing severity of soil salinization presents a major challenge to global agricultural productivity. Crop wild relatives (CWRs), as reservoirs of genetic diversity, offer a valuable source of salt tolerance traits that can be introgressed into cultivated crops. This review explores the potential of CWRs in improving salt tolerance through modern breeding techniques. It highlights recent advancements in marker-assisted selection (MAS), quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that have facilitated the identification of salt tolerance genes in CWRs. Technologies such as high-throughput sequencing, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) platforms, and genome editing tools like CRISPR/Cas9 are discussed for their role in accelerating the discovery and integration of beneficial alleles from wild species. The review also addresses the barriers to CWR utilization, including the lack of comprehensive phenotypic and genotypic data, and outlines strategies for overcoming these challenges. With the growing availability of genomic resources and advanced biotechnological approaches, CWRs hold tremendous potential for enhancing salt tolerance and securing sustainable food production in saline environments.