<p>Salt stress, a common abiotic factor, greatly reduces the yield capacity of pulse crops, with reductions often reaching 40–60% under moderate to high salinity levels. Consequently, a study was carried out to assess salinity tolerance in 12 local pea populations collected from the arid landscapes of Southern Tunisia. The study involved four salinity levels of NaCl (0 (control), 8, 12, and 16 dS m^− 1) to evaluate the germplasm’s response to salt stress. Key metrics measured included germination percentage (GP), plant biomass, relative water status (RWC), seedling vigor (SVI), and salt tolerance index (STI). Findings showed clear reductions across all parameters as salinity increased. Overall, GP decreased from near 100% under control conditions to as low as 7–9% at 16 dS m⁻¹ in sensitive genotypes, while LA-MedP2 and LA-MedP6 maintained 90–75% germination at moderate salinity (8–12 dS m⁻¹). Fresh and dry weights showed reductions of up to 60% in sensitive genotypes under 12 dS m⁻¹, whereas the tolerant genotypes exhibited only 38% reductions. Under 16 dS m^− 1 salt stress, the two primary seedling organs: radicle and plumule of the local pea populations were notably affected. To summarize, this study identified two local pea genotypes, LA-MedP2 and LA-MedP6, as tolerant to moderate salinity levels (8–12 dS m⁻¹). These genotypes can serve as valuable parental lines in breeding programs, particularly for developing new varieties with enhanced salinity tolerance suited to arid and saline regions of Southern Tunisia.</p>