Salinity effects on zoysiagrass cultivars and experimental lines
2000
Qian, Y.L. | Engelke, M.C. | Foster, M.J.V.
Salt tolerant turfgrasses are highly desirable in areas associated with saline soils and/or saline irrigation waters. To determine the salt tolerance of 29 zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) experimental lines and cultivars, two greenhouse studies were conducted by means of a hydroponic culture system. Sodium chloride was gradually added to a basic nutrient solution to obtain a final salinity level of 42.5 dS m-1. Relative salt injury, indicated by leaf firing percentage, was associated with zoysiagrass leaf length and texture. Short, fine leaf-textured zoysiagrass ('Diamond', DALZ8501, and their hybrids) were most salt tolerant, coarse leaf-textured entries (Z. japonica Steud. and their hybrids) intermediate, whereas long, fine leaf-textured entries ('Cavalier', 'Emerald', and 'Zeon') exhibited the least salt tolerance. Salinity resulted in decreased K+ and increased Na+ in shoots of all cultivars. Sodium content was significantly correlated with percentage of leaf firing, with Zeon, Emerald, 'DeAnza', Cavalier, and TAES4377 having the highest concentration of Na+, and TAES4357, TAES4361, and TAES4373 the lowest concentration. Most hybrids with Diamond and DALZ8501 as parents exhibited good to intermediate salinity tolerance. The broad sense heritability was 0.67, 0.50, 0.41, 0.54, and 0.40 for relative leaf firing, shoot and root growth, and Na+ and K+ content, respectively. Results suggest that genetic progress may be made to develop salt tolerant zoysiagrass with conventional breeding techniques.
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