Salinity is the major environmental stress affecting growth and physiological processes in plants. Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) is a perennial medicinal plant having many secondary metabolites. The effects of 0, 100, 200, 400, 600, and 800 mM NaCl on growth parameters, leaf relative water content, chlorophyll index, gas exchange parameters, membrane stability index, antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, flavonoid, and soluble carbohydrate contents of licorice populations (Fars and Khorasan) cultivated with different rhizomes diameters were evaluated. The soil and rhizomes elements were also studied. The results indicated that the salinity significantly decreased the growth parameters, relative water content, and membrane stability index, compared to the controls. The thicker rhizomes can grow more than thinner ones in saline soil. Chlorophyll index and leaf gas exchange were declined under salt stress. Besides, the soluble carbohydrate content was decreased. Salinity caused oxidative stress in licorice rhizomes, so that by decreasing the membrane stability index, antioxidant capacity, phenolic compounds, and flavonoid contents of rhizomes have increased in line with NaCl treatments. Na⁺, Cl⁻, and Ca²⁺ levels increased, but K⁺ concentration was reduced. The PCA-biplot analysis revealed that Fars and Khorasan populations had different responses to salinity. The length of rhizomes, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and soluble carbohydrates of two licorice populations and salinity stress had the largest amount of difference of traits. Thus, the elevation of osmolytes, the nutrient balance, and the antioxidant capacity lead to protect of licorice under osmotic, ionic, and oxidative stress, which is caused by the salinity stress. Accordingly, G. glabra can withstand salinity up to 600 mM NaCl and be introduced as a halophyte plant.

盐度是影响植物生长和生理过程的主要环境胁迫。甘草（甘草）是具有许多次生代谢产物的多年生药用植物。0、100、200、400、600和800 mM NaCl对生长参数，叶片相对含水量，叶绿素指数，气体交换参数，膜稳定性指数，抗氧化剂活性，酚类化合物，类黄酮和可溶性碳水化合物含量的影响评价了根茎直径不同的甘草种群（Fars和Khorasan）。还研究了土壤和根茎元素。结果表明，与对照相比，盐度显着降低了生长参数，相对含水量和膜稳定性指数。在盐碱土壤中，较粗的根茎比细根的根茎能生长得更多。盐胁迫下叶绿素指数和叶片气体交换下降。此外，可溶性碳水化合物含量降低。盐度引起甘草根茎的氧化应激，因此通过降低膜稳定性指数，根茎的抗氧化能力，酚类化合物和类黄酮含量与NaCl处理一致。钠⁺，氯^-和Ca ²⁺含量增高，钾素⁺浓度降低。PCA-biplot分析显示，法尔斯族和呼罗珊族对盐度的反应不同。两个甘草种群的根茎，类黄酮，酚类化合物和可溶性碳水化合物的长度以及盐分胁迫的性状差异最大。因此，渗透压升高，营养平衡和抗氧化能力可在盐分胁迫引起的渗透，离子和氧化胁迫下保护甘草。因此，G.glabra可以承受高达600 mM NaCl的盐度，并可以作为盐生植物引入。