Evaluation of physiological and growing behavior of warm season turfgrass species against salinity stress

Abstract

The demand for salinity tolerant turfgrasses is increasing due to augmented use of effluent or low quality water for turf irrigation. Fresh water, coupled with soil salinization in many areas has resulted in an increased need for screening of salt-tolerant turfgrasses. Physiological responses to salinity and relative salt tolerance of four C4 turf grasses Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass), Zoysia matrella (Manilla grass), Stenotaphrum secundatum (St. Augustine grass) and Paspalum notatum (Bahia grass) were investigated during the study at Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, IARI, New Delhi 2015-2017. Turfgrasses were planted in plastic pots filled with sand: cocopeat: vermiculite (2:1:1) and irrigated with different concentration of salinity levels (50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 mm). Salinity tolerance was evaluated on the basis of leaf firing, shoots and root growth reduction, proline content, total chlorophyll content and relative water content was subjected to analysis of variance. Among the four turfgrass species S. secundatum found to be most salt tolerant turf grass followed by Z. matrella while P. notatum was least tolerant turfgrass against salt stress.