INTRODUCTION: Salt stress has emerged as a predominant abiotic factor that jeopardizes global crop growth and yield. The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) has notable potential in mitigating salt toxicity, yet its mechanism in enhancing the salinity tolerance of tobacco plants is not well explored. METHODS: This study aimed to assess the potential benefits of exogenous SA application (1.0 mM) on tobacco seedlings subjected to saline soil conditions. RESULTS: The foliar spray of SA partially mitigated these salt-induced effects, as evidenced by a reduction of malondialdehyde content, and improvements of leaf K DISCUSSION: Our study elucidates the physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous SA in enhancing plant salt tolerance and provides a practical basis for crop improvement in saline environments.