Physiological and ecological investigation on adoption of some groundcover plants as turfgrass alternatives in arid landscape region of Kish Island during cool season

Abstract

Kish Island located in the south of Iran with 90 square kilometers, having limited expansion, sustainable ecology, erotology characteristics including low soil depth and low sweet water, does not allow the variability in plant coverage in the Island’s landscape. Investigation should be conducted on groundcover species having some abilities in adapting to such environment, demanding low water and care and being suitable for the landscape. In this study 10 species of groundcover plants were chosen including: Festuca ovina L., Carpobrotus acinaciformis (L.) L. Bolus., Sedum spurium Bieb., Alternanthera dentata Moench., Glaucium flavum Crantz., Frankenia thymifolia Desf., Sedum acre L., Potentilla verna L., Achillea milleifolium L., Lampranthus spectabilis Haw. The plants were cultivated for ecological and physiological evaluation under 4 regions of Kish landscape natural situation during 2008 and 2009. Ecological traits were height, total fresh and dry weight of plant, leaf number and area, coverage area and visual quality; and physiological features including chlorophyll and proline contents. According to the results, it is indicated that C. acinaciformis, G. flavum and A. milleifolium have been established and began to develop, and can be recommended for cultivation in Kish Island green spaces and the same conditions elsewhere. Key words: Xeriscaping methods, drought stress, water efficiency, salt stress.