Na+ and/or Cl− Toxicities Determine Salt Sensitivity in Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek), Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), and Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Grain legumes are important crops, but they are salt sensitive. This research dissected the responses of four (sub)tropical grain legumes to ionic components (Na+ and/or Cl−) of salt stress. Soybean, mungbean, cowpea, and common bean were subjected to NaCl, Na+ salts (without Cl−), Cl− salts (without Na+), and a “high cation” negative control for 57 days. Growth, leaf gas exchange, and tissue ion concentrations were assessed at different growing stages. For soybean, NaCl and Na+ salts impaired seed dry mass (30% of control), more so than Cl− salts (60% of control). All treatments impaired mungbean growth, with NaCl and Cl− salt treatments affecting seed dry mass the most (2% of control). For cowpea, NaCl had the greatest adverse impact on seed dry mass (20% of control), while Na+ salts and Cl− salts had similar intermediate effects (~45% of control). For common bean, NaCl had the greatest adverse effect on seed dry mass (4% of control), while Na+ salts and Cl− salts impaired seed dry mass to a lesser extent (~45% of control). NaCl and Na+ salts (without Cl−) affected the photosynthesis (Pn) of soybean more than Cl− salts (without Na+) (50% of control), while the reverse was true for mungbean. Na+ salts (without Cl−), Cl− salts (without Na+), and NaCl had similar adverse effects on Pn of cowpea and common bean (~70% of control). In conclusion, salt sensitivity is predominantly determined by Na+ toxicity in soybean, Cl− toxicity in mungbean, and both Na+ and Cl− toxicity in cowpea and common bean.