Comparison of drought tolerance of Cleistogenes songorica and Festuca arundinacea under field conditions

摘要

Cleistogenes songorica is an important native forage plant species in the Northwest desert grassland of China. Growth of C. songorica was compared with tall fescue {Festucaarundinacea) under field conditions at Alax and Zhangye. China. There were no significant differences in the leaf color and leaf relative water content of the two plant species, however, F. arundinacea grew better than C. songorica, as indicated by the leaf width, plant height, coverage, density, and the content of chlorophyll and praline in the leaf.