As potable water supplies decrease, their use for non-essential purposes will be restricted and turfgrass managers will have to resort to using non-potable saline irrigation water to establish and grow turfgrass. A study was conducted at New Mexico State University to investigate the effects of salinity on germination and subsequent establishment of several warm and cool season grasses. The study included: hybrid Texas bluegrass [Poa arachnifera x pratensis] cvs. ‘Thermal Blue' and ‘SRX2TK95'; tall fescue [Festuca arundinacea] cvs. ‘Southeast', ‘Barlexas II', ‘Turfsaver' and ‘Tar Heel II'; perennial ryegrass [Lolium perenne] cvs. ‘Brightstar SLT' and ‘Catalina'; alkaligrass [Puccinellia distans] cvs. ‘Salty' and ‘Fults'; Fine Fescue [Festuca rubra] cv. ‘Dawson'; bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon] cvs. ‘Numex Sahara', ‘Princess', ‘Riviera', and ‘Transcontinental'; zoysiagrass [Zoysia japonica] cv. ‘Companion'; buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides] ‘SWI2000'; and seashore paspalum [Paspalum vaginatum] ‘Seaspray'. Seed germination and seedling development were investigated at 3 salinity levels: 0.5 mmhos cm-1, 1.8 mmhos cm-1, and 3.0 mmhos cm-1. Results indicated that saline irrigation water did not inhibit germination. However, salinity had a negative effect on both seedling development and turfgrass establishment. These results suggest that germination alone may not be an accurate predictor of successful turfgrass establishment when saline water is used. The critical stage to test for salinity tolerance may come after germination, at the transition stage between heterotrophy and autotrophy.
See more of Establishment, Cultivation, Irrigation, and Fertility
See more of C05 Turfgrass Science
See more of The ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings (November 6-10, 2005)