Abstract: Chloris virgata is a native forage grass with strong salt-alkali resistance. Samples of 45 natural populations of C. virgata were randomly chosen from the saline meadows in Changling County, Jilin Province. Soil electrical conductivity, pH and buffering capacity were measured in each sample area to assess the degree of soil salinization and associated plant stress. Organic acid contents in C. virgata stems and leaves were measured as plant physiological response indexes. A regression analysis was conducted incorporating incorporating both plant and soil data. C. virgata accumulated large amounts of organic acids including citric acid, malic acid and oxalic acid in response to strong salt-alkali stress, and there was a significantly positive correlation between the accumulation of citric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid and total organic acids and the three soil indexes. By contrast, the level of amber acid was less under saline stress and was negatively correlated with the three soil indexes. Further multiple regression analysis showed that soil electrical conductivity was more strongly correlated with the accumulation of the plant organic acids (except succinic acid) than pH and buffering capacity. In conclusion, soil electric conductivity can be used as a reliable indication of stress intensity faced by C. virgata plants exposed to salt-alkali stress in natural saline environments.