title: Salinity studies with drought-resistant species of Sporobolus.
abstract: Dry matter productivity under saline conditions was compared in 5 desiccation-tolerant "resurrection" grasses and one desiccation sensitive species, all in the genus Sporobolus. S. stapfianus was the most salt tolerant, requiring 215 mole NaCl m-3to reduce shoot dry matter increments to 50% of increments in plants not treated with salt. (This was comparable to published values for the salt tolerant grass Diplachne fusca.) S. lampranthus was salt sensitive, requiring 35 mol m-3for 50% control yields. S. festivus, S. aff. Fimbriatus, and the deisccation sensitive S.pyramidalis was moderately tolerant (150-170 mol m-3). The moderate salt resistance of S. aff. fimbriatus was attributed mainly to exclusion of NaCl by roots. Salt export through leaf surfaces was a minor factor. Half of the leaf mesophyll cells survived 50 min immersion in 200 mol NaCl m-3. Plants of S. aff. fimbriatus and S. pyramidalis tolerated a broad range of soil pH. Plants of 4 desiccation tolerant Sporobolus species survived air-dryness following 3 weeks pretreatment with salinities up to 200 mol m-3.
authors.affiliation: Botany Department, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, Australia.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Botany Department, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, Australia.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Gaff
keywords: Drought tolerance; Poaceae; Resurrection grass; Salt tolerance; Sporobolus; pH tolerance