Growth response of four turfgrass species to salinity

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Abstract

The need for salinity tolerant turfgrasses is increasing because of the increased use of effluent or other low quality waters for turfgrass irrigation. Greenhouse container and hydroponic experiments were conducted to determine the relative salinity tolerance and growth responses of ‘Challenger’ Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) (KBG), ‘Arid’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb) (TF), ‘Fults’ alkaligrass (Puccinellia distans (L.) Parl.) (AG), and a saltgrass (Distichlis spicata (Torr.) Beetle) collection (SG). In the container experiments, irrigation waters of different salinity levels were applied to experimental plants grown in plastic pots filled with a mix of sand and Isolite. The results indicated that KBG, TF, AG, and SG experienced a 50% shoot growth reduction at 4.9, 10.0, 20.0, and 34.9 dS m−1, respectively, and a 50% root growth reduction at 5.8, 19.6, 24.9 and 41.0 dS m−1, respectively. In the hydroponic experiment, grasses were grown in saline solution at 2.0, 4.7, 9.4, 14.1, 18.8, and 23.5 dS m−1. Kentucky bluegrass, TF, AG, and SG experienced a 50% shoot growth reduction at 5.5, 14.2, 23.0, and 34.5 dS m−1, respectively, and a 50% root growth reduction at 7.9, 21.5, 30.4 and 40.8 dS m−1, respectively. Root to shoot ratio of KBG remained constant, whereas those of TF, AG, and SG increased at all salinity levels. Salinity caused root cortex cells to collapse, in KBG at 14.1 dS m−1 and in TF at 23.5 dS m−1. Alkaligrass and SG only had a few cell collapses even at 23.5 dS m−1. Bi-cellular salt glands were observed only on leaves of SG. The ranking for salinity tolerance of selected grasses was: SG>AG>TF>KBG. Salt glands present in SG, root growth stimulation of SG and AG, and maintenance of relatively high root to shoot ratio in TF are apparent adaptive mechanisms exhibited by these grasses for salinity tolerance.

Introduction

Soil salinity is considered as one of the major factors that reduce plant growth in many regions in the world. In a number of western states, fresh water shortage has resulted in restrictions on the use of potable water for landscape irrigation. Consequently, secondary water sources are increasingly being used to irrigate large turf facilities (ADWR, 1995, CSWRCB, 1993). Seawater intrusion in the coastal states (McCarty and Dudeck, 1993, Murdoch, 1987) and the use of salt for deicing roadways of the northern USA (Hanes et al., 1970) have added to the salinity problems in turfgrass culture. Therefore, the need for salt tolerant turfgrasses has increased (Harivandi et al., 1992).

The detrimental effects of salinity on turfgrass growth include osmotic stress, ion toxicity, and nutritional disturbances (Greenway and Munns, 1980, Lauchli, 1986, Cheeseman, 1988). Salt tolerant plants have the ability to minimize these detrimental effects by producing a series of anatomical, morphological, and physiological adaptations (Poljakoff-Mayber, 1975, Poljakoff-Mayber, 1988), such as an extensive root system and salt secreting glands on the leaf surface (Liphschitz and Waisel, 1974, Oross and Thomson, 1982, Gould and Shaw, 1983, Oross et al., 1985, Gorham et al., 1985, Sinha et al., 1986, Marcum and Murdoch, 1990a, Marcum et al., 1998).

Variations in salt tolerance among turfgrasses have been demonstrated in many studies using hydroponic culture systems (Dudeck et al., 1983, Horst and Taylor, 1983, Horst and Beadle, 1984, Torello and Symington, 1984, Marcum and Kopec, 1997, Marcum et al., 1998, Qian et al., 2000, Qian et al., 2001). Limited information is available to compare salinity responses of shoot and root in solution culture versus sand culture systems.

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), native to Europe, is the most widely used cool-season turfgrass in the temperate and subarctic regions of North America. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea, Schreb) is a cool-season turfgrass best adapted to the transition zone in the US. Alkaligrass (Puccinellia distans, Parl.) is typically found inhabiting saline and alkaline sites throughout cooler portions of North America. Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and alkaligrass are members of Festucoideae subfamily. Saltgrass (D. spicata, Beetle), a member of Chlorideae subfamily, is a warm season grass showing great salt tolerance. A breeding project is in progress at Colorado State University to develop turf-type saltgrass, for which more information is needed concerning the growth responses to different salinity levels.

The major objective of this study was to determine the relative salt tolerance and growth response of four turfgrass species to salinity in sand culture and hydroponic systems.

Section snippets

Plant materials and growth conditions

The experiments were carried out from 27 April 1998 to 11 August 1998 and repeated from 15 May 1999 to 28 September 1999, using plastic pots (20 cm in diameter and 20 cm in depth) in a greenhouse at Colorado State University. The plastic pots were filled with 7 kg of a mix of 50 sand:50 Isolite (w/w). The bulk density of the potting mix was 1.06 g cm−3. Isolite is a soil amendment derived from diatomaceous earth that reportedly has a high water holding capacity, low cation exchange capacity, and

Plant materials and growth conditions

The experiment was conducted from 14 July 1999 to 13 November 1999, and repeated from 14 April 2000 to 13 August 2000, in a greenhouse at Colorado State University with a solution culture system. Four grasses as described previously were planted into plastic cups (9 cm in diameter and 4 cm deep). The cups were filled with 1 cm layer of coarse, sterilized silica sand. The cup bottom was removed and covered with nylon screen to hold sand and allow roots to grow through. Twelve cups were placed into

Study I (Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue)

Relative shoot growth (as a percent of control) decreased with increasing salinity in both species (Fig. 1A). Likewise, root growth of KBG decreased as salinity levels increased (Fig. 1B). However, root growth of TF did not change significantly. Regression analysis indicated that KBG experienced a 50% shoot and root growth reduction at 4.9 and 5.8 dS m−1, respectively, whereas 50% growth reduction of TF was caused by 10.0 dS m−1 for shoots and 19.6 dS m−1 for roots.

Growth of TF roots was less

Discussion

Growth parameters, such as shoot growth (Francois, 1988, Marcum and Murdoch, 1990b), root mass, root length (Marcum and Kopec, 1997, Marcum, 1999), and turf quality (Dean et al., 1996, Marcum and Kopec, 1997, Marcum, 1999) have been reported to be excellent criteria to determine salinity tolerance among turfgrasses. Based on data on growth parameters (relative shoot growth, 50% shoot growth reduction, leaf firing, and turf quality) the salinity tolerance ranking of selected grasses was:

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