Rising soil salinity is a growing threat to rice production worldwide, reducing yields and impacting farmer livelihoods. Despite this, there is limited understanding of how planting density and soil microbial health affect rice tolerance to salt stress.

Building on earlier research at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands, which examined rice responses to salinity at the seedling stage, this project advances to field trials at IRRI in the Philippines. The experiments will evaluate several rice varieties under different combinations of salinity and planting density, measuring shoot and root growth, yield components, and the elemental composition of plant tissues.

The study will also investigate how the root microbiome responds to these conditions. By examining these interactions, the project aims to clarify how salinity and planting density influence ion accumulation, plant performance, and overall yield.