Physiological and growth responses of six turfgrass species relative to salinity tolerance.
The demand for salinity-tolerant turfgrasses is increasing due to augmented use of effluent or low-quality water (sea water) for turf irrigation and the growing turfgrass industry in coastal areas. Experimental plants, grown in plastic pots filled with a mixture of river sand and KOSAS(R) peat (9 : 1), were irrigated with sea water at different dilutions imparting salinity levels of 0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, or 48 dS m⁻¹. Salinity tolerance was evaluated on the basis of leaf firing, shoot and root growth reduction, proline content, and relative water content. Paspalum vaginatum was found to be most salt tolerant followed by Zoysia japonica and Zoysia matrella, while Digitaria didactyla, Cynodon dactylon "Tifdwarf," and Cynodon dactylon "Satiri" were moderately tolerant. The results indicate the importance of turfgrass varietal selection for saline environments.
Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, 43400 Serdang, Malaysia. mkuddin07@yahoo.com
Kamal
K
Uddin
Abdul Shukor
AS
Juraimi
Mohd Razi
MR
Ismail
Alamgir
A
Hossain
Radziah
R
Othman
Anuar
A
Abdul Rahim
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006109:Poaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D012965:Sodium Chloride