Abstract
<jats:p>Salinity stress is one of the main limiting factors in rice cultivation, especially in coastal and lowland areas that are vulnerable to sea air intrusion. Local rice varieties have diverse genetic characteristics that potentially support adaptation to stressful environments; therefore, their response to salinity stress needs to be evaluated from the early stages of growth. This study aims to analyze the effect of salinity on the growth of several local rice varieties from South Tapanuli in the early vegetative phase. The study used a factorial Completely Randomized Design with salinity levels (0, 3, and 6 g/L NaCl) and rice varieties (Inpari 49, Siporang, Silatihan, and Silottik). Salinity stress significantly affected growth parameters, especially plant height and number of leaves.</jats:p>