Foliar sprays of methyl jasmonic acid shift the endogenous fatty acid levels to support rice plant growth in saline soil

•Exogenous methyl jasmonate and salinity reduced the height of rice plants.•Exogenous methyl jasmonate induced changes in the fatty acid species in the leaf and root during the earlier reproduction stage of three rice genotypes.•Polyunsaturated fatty acid species are increased in the leaf and root of rice plant growth under salinity conditions.