This study aimed to evaluate the salt-alkali tolerance of Elymusdahuricus accessions during germination and early seedling stages. Three preliminary accessions were first screened under gradient salt-alkali stress （NaCl∶NaHCO₃=3∶1） to determine appropriate treatment levels； 100 and 150 mmol·L^-1 were selected for subsequent experiments based on germination rate. Ten wild accessions originating from diverse regions and habitats were then subjected to these two stress concentrations in a pot trial， with water as the control. Germination and agronomic traits were measured to comprehensively assess salt-alkali tolerance.Salt-alkali stress significantly inhibited seed germination and seedling growth， and the inhibitory effects intensified with increased concentration. Under 100 mmol·L^-1 stress， accession E5 exhibited the highest values for all germination parameters and was identified as the most tolerant one， whereas E6 showed the poorest performance， with 0% germination at 150 mmol·L^-1， indicating lowest tolerance. The ten accessions were consequently ranked as E5>E2>E9>E1>E10>E4>E3>E7>E8>E6， and classified into five categories： highly tolerant， tolerant， moderately tolerant， weakly tolerant and non-tolerant. These results provide valuable germplasm resources and a theoretical basis for breeding salt-alkali-tolerant E. dahuricus cultivars and for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying salt-alkali tolerance.

Elymusdahuricus  /  Salt-alkaline stress  /  Comprehensive evaluation  /  Germplasm resources