Assessment of Kentucky Bluegrass Salt Tolerance with Remote Sensing

Six cultivars or selections of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) exposed to salinity stress were evaluated with ground-based remote sensing plant reflectance (R) measurements at wavelengths ranging from 350 nm to 2500 nm. Cultivars Baron, Brilliant, Cabernet, Eagleton, Midnight, and the selection A01-856, a Texas × Kentucky bluegrass hybrid (Poa arachnifera × P. pratensis), were grown outdoors from vegetative clones in a gravelly-sand medium from Apr. to Sept. 2005, in Riverside, Calif., at soil water salinities ranging from 2 to 22 dSm-1. Two Normalized Difference Vegetation Indicies (NDVI) were developed based on: 1) canopy reflectance in the visible domain at 695 and 670 nm and 2) an average of eight wavelengths in mid-infrared [Ravg = (R:1500, R:1680, R:1740, R:1940, R:2050, R:2170, R:2290, and R:2470 nm/8)] and the reference wavelength (670 nm). Both NDVIs were significantly sensitive to salinity-induced changes in grass canopies and were able to discriminate significantly between the salt-tolerant cultivars (`Baron', `Brilliant', and `Eagleton') and salt-sensitive cultivars (`Cabernet', `Midnight', and A01-856). Another remotely sensed index, based on the derivative of the absorbance (1/R) in the red-edge region between 600 and 800 nm, also generated a similar ranking to the NDVIs and biomass for the six cultivars. These findings indicate that remote sensing of canopy reflectance may represent an additional tool to evaluate and explain the biophysical or physiological differences among Kentucky bluegrass cultivars related to salt tolerance.

Download Full-text

(140) Salt Tolerance Assessment of Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivars Selected for Drought Tolerance

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.41.4.1057c ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 1057C-1057 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Catherine M. Grieve ◽

Stacy A. Bonos ◽

James A. Poss

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Drought Tolerance ◽

Growth Rates ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Block Design ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Saline Control ◽

Drought Tolerant ◽

Area Expansion ◽

Poa Arachnifera

Six selections of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) cultivars, selected based on their drought tolerance under field and growth chamber conditions in New Brunswick, N.J., were evaluated for salt tolerance based on yield and growth rates at eight soil water salinities [2 (control), 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, and 22 dSm-1] from Apr. to Sept. 2005 in Riverside, Calif. Cultivars Baron and Brilliant were selected as drought sensitive and `Cabernet', `Eagleton', and `Midnight' were selected as drought tolerant. A Texas × Kentucky bluegrass (Poa arachnifera × Poa pratensis) hybrid selection (identified as A01-856) developed for improved drought and heat tolerance was also included. Vegetative clones were established in a randomized complete-block design with three replications, each containing 11 clones. Cumulative biomass and clone diameters were measured over time to evaluate relative yields and growth rates for the six cultivar selections. Based upon maximum absolute biomass production as a function of increasing EC, the order of production was `Baron' > `Brilliant' > `Eagleton' > `Cabernet' ≥ `Midnight' > A01-856. Yield relative to the non-saline control (2 dSm-1) for each cultivar was similar, except that the differences between cultivars were less pronounced, and `Baron' slightly outperformed `Brilliant'. Clone area expansion rates were analyzed with a phasic growth model and beta, the intrinsic growth rate of the exponential phase parameter, significantly varied with salinity. Ranking of cultivars, based on expansion rates, was similar to that based on cumulative biomass. Salinity tolerance in this experiment did not appear to be related to the observed ranking for drought tolerance.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Salinity Tolerance of Prairie Junegrass, a Potential Low-maintenance Turfgrass Species

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.46.7.1038 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 46 (7) ◽

pp. 1038-1045 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sheng Wang ◽

Qi Zhang ◽

Eric Watkins

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Salinity Tolerance ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Germination Rate ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Limited Information ◽

Salt Tolerant

Prairie junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) is a perennial, cool-season, native grass that has shown potential for use as a turfgrass species in the northern Great Plains; however, limited information is available on its salt tolerance. In this study, salinity tolerance of four junegrass populations from North America (Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, and North Dakota) and two improved turf-type cultivars from Europe (‘Barleria’ and ‘Barkoel’) was evaluated and compared with kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), sheep fescue (Festuca ovina), hard fescue (F. brevipila), and tall fescue (F. arundinacea). Salinity tolerance was determined based on the predicted salinity level causing 50% reduction of final germination rate (PSLF) and daily germination rate (PSLD) as well as electrolyte leakage (EL), tissue dry weight (DW), and visual quality (VQ) of mature plants. All populations of prairie junegrass showed similar salt tolerance with an average of PSLF and PSLD being 7.1 and 5.3 g·L−1 NaCl, respectively, comparable to kentucky bluegrass and hard and sheep fescue but lower than tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. Larger variations were observed in VQ in the junegrasses compared with EL and DW, in which ‘Barleria’ from the European population showed the highest VQ, following two salt-tolerant grasses, tall fescue and sheep fescue. Nebraska population was the least salt-tolerant within the species but still exhibited similar or higher tolerance than kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass cv. Arctic Green. Overall, junegrass was more salt-sensitive during germination but more tolerant to salinity when mature. Salinity tolerance of junegrass may be further improved through turfgrass breeding because salinity tolerance varied in different populations.

Download Full-text

Salt Tolerance and Canopy Reflectance of Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivars

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.45.6.952 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 45 (6) ◽

pp. 952-960 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

James A. Poss ◽

Walter B. Russell ◽

Stacy A. Bonos ◽

Catherine M. Grieve

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Chloride Concentration ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Spreading Rate ◽

Canopy Reflectance ◽

Band Index

Six cultivars or selections of kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) were grown outdoors from vegetative clones in a gravelly sand medium from Apr. to Sept. 2005 in Riverside, CA, at soil water salinities ranging from 2 to 22 dS·m−1. Cultivars Baron, Brilliant, Cabernet, Eagleton, Midnight, and the selection A01-856, a ‘Texas’ × kentucky bluegrass hybrid (P.· arachnifera × P. pratensis), were evaluated for salt tolerance based on relative and absolute cumulative biomass production, growth rates, leaf chloride concentration, and hyperspectral ground-based remote sensing (RS) canopy reflectance measurements. Remotely sensed indices were linearly correlated with absolute biomass production. Three variations of a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVIred, NDVIprotein, and NDVIinfra) decreased with increasing salinity-induced changes in grass canopies. An index based on the red-edge inflection point increased (became less negative) with increasing salinity. A Floating Water Band Index decreased with decreased leaf moisture content related to increasing salinity but did not discriminate between cultivars. Shoot spreading rate and NDVIinfra were both related to shoot chloride concentration differences among the kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L) (KBG) cultivars or selections. In theory, non-destructive RS monitoring of above-ground turf development, including NDVIinfra, coupled with measurement of leaf chloride concentrations could be useful in turf salt tolerance breeding programs. Salt tolerance rankings among the KBG cultivars varied depending on the evaluation methods and selection criteria used. Based on absolute and relative biomass, growth rate, and RS, cultivars Baron, Brilliant, and Eagleton were rated as more salt-tolerant than ‘Cabernet’, ‘Midnight’, and AO1-856.

Download Full-text

Extreme Ionic and Temperature Effects on Germination of Weeping Alkaligrass (Puccinellia distans), Nuttall's Alkaligrass (Puccinellia nuttalliana) and Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-06-170.1 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 55 (4) ◽

pp. 305-310 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Catherine S. Tarasoff ◽

Daniel A. Ball ◽

Carol A. Mallory-Smith

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Seed Viability ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Salt Tolerant ◽

Puccinellia Distans ◽

Semiarid Environments ◽

Temperature Conditions ◽

Soil Temperatures ◽

Germination Experiments

The introduced species weeping alkaligrass, and the native species Nuttall's alkaligrass, two of the most salt-tolerant C3 grasses found in arid and semiarid environments of western North America, occur within the Grande Ronde valley of eastern Oregon. Both species occur as weeds within Kentucky bluegrass seed fields and subsequently as grass seed contaminants. Two separate germination experiments were conducted to understand better the seed germination biology of these two species compared to Kentucky bluegrass under negative water potentials or high temperature conditions. Results of these studies indicate that although all three species benefited from an ionic enhancement associated with NaCl, weeping alkaligrass was the most drought and salt tolerant of the three species. Dry seeds of weeping alkaligrass were also particularly tolerant to high temperatures with no differences in germination at temperatures below 50 C, indicating that seed viability under nonirrigated field conditions should be unaffected by high soil temperatures. Under soil temperature conditions as high as 40 C, moist Kentucky bluegrass seeds had the greatest germination rates, indicating that this species should benefit from irrigation more than the other two species.

Download Full-text

Salinity Effects on Bentgrass Germination

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.28.1.15 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 15-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

L.B. McCarty ◽

A.E. Dudeck

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Warm Season ◽

Creeping Bentgrass ◽

Salt Tolerant ◽

Salinity Effects ◽

Agrostis Tenuis ◽

Seawater Salinity ◽

Salt Tolerant Cultivars

Duplicate studies were conducted to determine salt tolerance during germination of eight bentgrass (Agrostis spp.) cultivars commonly used for overseeding warm-season turf species, such as bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) putting surfaces. Bentgrass seeds were germinated on agar salinized with 0, 4000, 8000, 12,000, or 16,000 mg·liter-1, with the highest rate approaching one-half seawater salinity. Total germination decreased linearly or quadratically for specific cultivars as salinity increased. Time necessary to reach 50% germination across all salt concentrations was shortest for `Highland' colonial (Agrostis tenuis Sibth) and `Seaside' creeping (A. palustris Huds.) bentgrass (≈3.7 days); intermediate for `Kingstown' velvet (A. canina L.) and `Streaker' red top (A. alba L.) bentgrass (≈4.5 days); and longest for `Penneagle' creeping, `Penncross' creeping, `Exeter' colonial, and `Pennlinks' creeping bentgrass (≈5.3 days). Salt concentrations necessary to reduce germination to 90%, 75%, and 50% indicated that `Streaker' red top and `Seaside' creeping bentgrass were the most salt-tolerant cultivars. `Kingstown' velvet, `Exeter' colonial, and `Highland' colonial bentgrass were intermediate, while `Pennlinks', `Penncross', and `Penneagle' creeping bentgrass were the most salt-sensitive cultivars.

Download Full-text

Inheritance of salt tolerance traits among kentucky bluegrass ( Poa pratensis L.) hybrids

Crop Science ◽

10.1002/csc2.20417 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Paul G. Harris ◽

Paul G. Johnson ◽

Kelly Kopp ◽

B. Shaun Bushman

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass

Download Full-text

Choline-Mediated Lipid Reprogramming as a Dominant Salt Tolerance Mechanism in Grass Species Lacking Glycine Betaine

Plant and Cell Physiology ◽

10.1093/pcp/pcaa116 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kun Zhang ◽

Weiting Lyu ◽

Yanli Gao ◽

Xiaxiang Zhang ◽

Yan Sun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Salt Stress ◽

Salt Tolerance ◽

Glycine Betaine ◽

Metabolic Pathways ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Choline Chloride ◽

Photochemical Efficiency ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Grass Species ◽

Tolerance Mechanism

Abstract Choline, as a precursor of glycine betaine (GB) and phospholipids, is known to play roles in plant tolerance to salt stress, but the downstream metabolic pathways regulated by choline conferring salt tolerance are still unclear for non-GB-accumulating species. The objectives were to examine how choline affects salt tolerance in a non-GB-accumulating grass species and to determine major metabolic pathways of choline regulating salt tolerance involving GB or lipid metabolism. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) plants were subjected to salt stress (100 mM NaCl) with or without foliar application of choline chloride (1 mM) in a growth chamber. Choline or GB alone and the combined application increased leaf photochemical efficiency, relative water content and osmotic adjustment and reduced leaf electrolyte leakage. Choline application had no effects on the endogenous GB content and GB synthesis genes did not show responses to choline under nonstress and salt stress conditions. GB was not detected in Kentucky bluegrass leaves. Lipidomic analysis revealed an increase in the content of monogalactosyl diacylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine and a decrease in the phosphatidic acid content by choline application in plants exposed to salt stress. Choline-mediated lipid reprogramming could function as a dominant salt tolerance mechanism in non-GB-accumulating grass species.

Download Full-text

Influence of NaCl Salinity on the Behaviour of Protease, Aminopeptidase and Carboxypeptidase in Rice Seedlings in Relation to Salt Tolerance

Functional Plant Biology ◽

10.1071/pp9900215 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 215 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

RS Dubey ◽

M Rani

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Protease Activity ◽

Leucine Aminopeptidase ◽

Growth Period ◽

Salt Tolerant ◽

Rice Seedlings ◽

Salt Treatment ◽

Nacl Salinity ◽

Salt Susceptible ◽

Salt Tolerant Cultivars

Activities of the enzymes protease, aminopeptidase and carboxypeptidase were determined in seedlings of rice cultivars with different salt tolerances raised under increasing levels of NaCl salinity. Salinity caused a marked increase in protease activity in roots as well as shoots, though activity was higher in roots than in shoots. Salt-tolerant cultivars possessed higher levels of protease activity in control as well as salt-stressed seedlings compared with salt-susceptible cultivars. During a growth period of 5-20 days, leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) activity increased up to days 10-15 and decreased thereafter. Salt treatment caused a sharp increase in LAP activity in roots of both sets of cultivars. The increase was larger in tolerant than in susceptible cultivars. In shoots, unlike roots, higher salinity suppressed LAP activity, and suppression was more marked in susceptible cultivars than in tolerant ones. Carboxypeptidase activity was higher in susceptible cultivars than in tolerant ones under both control as well as salt treatments. Roots maintained higher levels of carboxypeptidase activity than shoots. Results suggest an increased rate of proteolysis in salt-stressed rice seedlings and an association of salt-tolerance ability with higher protease and aminopeptidase activities and lower carboxypeptidase activity under salinisation.

Download Full-text

141 Salinity Tolerance of Four Turfgrasses

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.35.3.414a ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 414A-414 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Saad Alshammary ◽

Y.L. Qian ◽

S.J. Wallner

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Tolerance Mechanisms ◽

Ion Exclusion ◽

Salinity Levels ◽

Ion Contents ◽

Saline Solutions

The need for salinity-tolerant turfgrasses is increasing because of increased use of effluent water for turfgrass irrigation. Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the relative salt tolerance and salt tolerance mechanisms of `Challenger' Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), `Arid' tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), `Fults' alkaligrass (Puccinellia distans.), and a saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) collection. Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue were irrigated with saline solutions at 0.2,1.7, 4.8, or 9.9 dS/m, whereas alkaligrass and saltgrass were irrigated with saline solutions at 0.2, 28.1, 32.8, or 37.5 dS/m prepared using a mixture of NaCl and CaCl2. The salinity levels that caused 50% shoot growth reduction were 9.0, 10.4, 20.0, and 28.5 dS/m for Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, saltgrass, and alkaligrass, respectively. Concentrations of proline, a proposed cytoplasmic compatible solute, were 25.8, 30.4, 68.1, and 17.7 μmol/g shoot fw in Kentucky bluegrass, tall Fescue, alkaligrass, and saltgrass, respectively, at the highest salinity level imposed. Bicellular, salt-secreting glands were only observed by scanning electron microscopy on leaves of saltgrass, indicating salt secretion is one of the important salt tolerance mechanisms adopted by saltgrass. Ion contents (Na, Cl, and Ca) in both shoots and roots of all grasses increased with increasing salinity levels. However, alkaligrass maintained a much lower Na, Ca, and Cl contents in roots and shoots than other grasses, suggesting that ion exclusion is one of the major salt tolerance mechanisms in alkaligrass. Tall fescue did not appear to restrict the uptake and translocation of salt in shoot tissues, but maintained a higher K/Na ratio than all other grasses under saline conditions.

Download Full-text

The Use of Soil Amendments to Improve Survival of Roadside Grasses

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.46.10.1404 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 46 (10) ◽

pp. 1404-1410 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Rebecca Nelson Brown ◽

Josef H. Gorres

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Salt Tolerance ◽

Rhode Island ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Perennial Grass ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Perennial Grasses ◽

Red Fescue

Highway rights-of-way are routinely planted with turfgrasses to prevent erosion, filter runoff, and improve aesthetics. However, the roadside is a harsh environment, and perennial grasses often die within the first year, leading to bare ground and annual weeds, which do not prevent erosion during the winter. To improve the survival of perennial vegetation on the roadside, it is necessary to identify the factors limiting vegetation growth and then to either identify plants that can tolerate those factors or identify ways to ameliorate the stresses while still maintaining safety. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of improved cultivars, salt tolerance, and organic matter amendments on perennial grass survival along two highways in Rhode Island. The amendments tested were processed biosolids and composted yard waste, each applied in a 50:50 mixture by volume with existing roadside soil; plain soil was included as a control. We tested 20 improved turfgrass cultivars and one seed mixture with common creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) as the standard. Turfgrass species tested were perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), red fescue, alkali grass [Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Parl.], idaho bentgrass (Agrostis idahoensis Nash), tufted hairgrass [Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P. Beauv.], and kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). We found that soil amendment was more effective than either improved genetics or salt tolerance. Establishment, vertical growth, and persistence of vegetation cover were significantly improved by amendment with organic matter, particularly biosolids. In Summer 2009 (the second growing season), turf cover exceeded 50% in the biosolids plots but was below 20% in the plain soil plots with complete loss of cover in the plain soil plots at one location. Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, red fescue, and idaho bentgrass showed the best persistence at the species level, and there were no consistent differences among cultivars.

Download Full-text