Functional screening of genes from a halophyte wild rice relative Porteresia coarctata in Arabidopsis model identifies candidate genes involved in salt tolerance

•Soil salinity is an increasing threat to crop production under climatic uncertainties.•Porteresia coarctata, the only halophyte wild rice, is a rich source of genes and promoters for improving salt tolerance in rice.•Full length cDNA overexpression (FOX/COX) system was used to identify Porteresia coarctata genes with positive involvement in salt stress response using Arabidopsis model.