Mass selection for salt resistance in Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana)

Abstract

High salt stresses were exerted upon seedlings of the common variety of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth.) in order to select a salt resistant strain and to ascertain the characteristics which differentiate between the original parent population and the currently selected one. Five generations of seedlings were grown on sand culture and irrigated with NaCl solutions up to 0.7 M. The most successful survivors of each generation were selected and grown to maturation and seed production. Plants of the F5‐selected population showed a marked improvement in their survival and regeneration capabilities after harvesting. Some effects of selection were found in seed germination and in water use. No apparent differences between the parent and the F5 populations were found in growth of unclipped plants, ion content or protein synthesis. The data presented indicate that the capability to survive through salt stresses can be raised in Rhodes grass by mass selection. Fundamentally this is achieved by improving the regeneration capability of the plants after multiple clippings.