Effect of Salinity of Tropical Turfgrass Species

摘要

The need for salinity tolerance of turfgrasses is increasing because of the augmented use of effluent or other low quality waters (seawater) for turfgrass irrigation. Irrigation seawater of different salinity levels (0, 24, 48, and 72 dS/m) was applied to experimental plants grown in plastic pots filled with a mixture of sand and peat (9:1). The results were analyzed using SAS (SAS 2006) and treatment means were compared using the LSD Test. The results indicated that Paspalum vaginatum (seashore paspalum) (SP), Zoysia matrella (manilagrass) (MG), Pasplaum vaginatum local (SPL), Cynodon dactylon (common bermuda) (CB), Cynodon dactylon (bermuda greenless park) (GLP), Eremochloa ophiuroides (centipede) (CP), Axonopus compressus (cow grass) (CG) and Axonopus affinis (narrowleaf carpet grass) (NCG) experienced a 50% shoot growth reduction at EC values of 39.8,36.5,26.1,25.9, 21.7, 22.4, 17.0 and 18.3 dS/m respectively, and a 50% root growth reduction at the EC of49.4,42.1, 29.9, 29.7, 26.0 24.8, 18.8 and 20.0 dS/m respectively. The ranking for salinity tolerance of selected grasses was SP>MG>SPL>CB>GLP>CP>NCG>CG. The results indicate the importance of the selection of turfgrass varieties according to the soil salinity and seawater salinity levels to beused for irrigation.