Differential Responses of Warm-season and Cool-season Turfgrass Species to Heat Stress Associated with Antioxidant Enzyme Activity

Heat stress may limit the growth of turfgrasses through the induction of oxidative stress, causing cellular and physiological damage. The objective of the study was to examine the association of heat and oxidative stresses between warm-season (C4) and cool-season (C3) turfgrasses. Plants of zoysiagrass (Zoysia matrella L. Merr. cv. Manila) (C4) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Shreber cv. Barlexus) (C3) were exposed to optimal temperature conditions (24 °C for tall fescue and 34 °C for zoysiagrass) or heat stress (10 °C above the respective optimal temperature for each species) in growth chambers. Zoysiagrass exhibited less severe decline in turf quality and photochemical efficiency and less severe oxidative damage in cellular membranes as demonstrated by lower membrane electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation compared with tall fescue when both were exposed to heat stress. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) declined with heat stress for both species, but to a lesser extent in zoysiagrass than in tall fescue, whereas catalase activity did not change significantly under heat stress and did not exhibit species variation. Our results demonstrate that the superior heat tolerance in zoysiagrass in comparison with tall fescue was associated with greater oxidative scavenging capacity as a result of the maintenance of higher SOD and POD activities.

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Month of Seeding Effect on Low-Input Establishment of Cool- and Warm-Season Turfgrasses in Continental Transition Zone

Atlas Journal of Biology ◽

10.5147/ajb.v2i3.27 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 162-170

Author(s):

Kenneth Lynn Diesburg ◽

Ronald F. Krausz

Keyword(s):

Transition Zone ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Seedling Survival ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Warm Season ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Percent Cover ◽

Cool Season ◽

Low Input

This research was conducted to determine the degree of success, by month, in seeding establishment of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers. var. dactylon), and zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) at two locations in the moist, Midwest, continental transition zone on a prepared seed bed without irrigation or cover. The four species were planted every month of the year starting in September 2005. Starter fertilizer and siduron were applied the same day as seeding with no subsequent management except mowing. Percent cover of living turfgrass was recorded in each of 24 months after seeding. Tall fescue (80%) and Bermudagrass (73%) provided the best percent cover over all planting dates. Kentucky bluegrass provided 65% and zoysiagrass 24% cover. The cool-season grasses performed best in the July-to-March plantings; tall fescue 88% and Kentucky bluegrass 72%. Bermudagrass (94%) established best in the January-to-April plantings, while Zoysiagrass (32%) established best in the November-to-March plantings. Germination and seedling survival after germination of all species were inhibited by limited moisture during summer. The warm-season grasses were further limited by winter kill in the August, September, and October seedings. These results emphasize the risk in spring-seeding as well as the value in dormant-seeding of both warm- and cool-season turfgrasses for low-input, nonirrigated establishment.

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Colorant Application Volume and Color Persistence on a ‘Chisholm’ Zoysiagrass Lawn

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.26.3.314 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 314-319 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Ross Braun ◽

Jack Fry ◽

Megan Kennelly ◽

Dale Bremer ◽

Jason Griffin

Keyword(s):

Transition Zone ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Warm Season ◽

Canopy Temperature ◽

Cool Season ◽

Green Color ◽

Visual Rating ◽

The Impact ◽

Application Volume

Zoysiagrass (Zoysia sp.) is a warm-season turfgrass that requires less water and fewer cultural inputs than cool-season grasses, but its widespread use by homeowners in the transition zone may be limited because of its extended duration of brown color during dormancy. Turf colorants are an option for improving zoysiagrass winter color. Our objective was to quantify the impact of colorants applied in autumn at three application volumes on persistence of green color on lawn-height ‘Chisholm’ zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica). The commercial colorants Green Lawnger, Endurant, and Wintergreen Plus were applied in Oct. 2013 in Manhattan, KS, and Haysville, KS, in solutions with water at 80, 160, or 240 gal/acre at a 1:6 dilution (colorant:water) and evaluated through late 2013 and Spring 2014. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), a cool-season turfgrass commonly used in home lawns in the transition zone, was included for comparison. Persistence of green color increased with application volume, but differences among colorants were limited. Colorants provided acceptable color (i.e., a visual rating ≥6 on a 1 to 9 scale) for 55 to 69 days at 80 gal/acre, 69 to 118 days at 160 gal/acre, and 118 to 167 days at 240 gal/acre. Compared with tall fescue, colorant-treated zoysiagrass had significantly higher color ratings for 98 to 112 days at 80 gal/acre, 112 to 154 days at 160 gal/acre, and 138 to 154 days at 240 gal/acre. Colorants increased turfgrass canopy temperature by up to 12.1 °F, but did not accelerate spring green-up. Duration of acceptable color on ‘Chisholm’ zoysiagrass lawns can be enhanced by increasing colorant application volume.

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The Improvement of Thermotolerance in Tall Fescue and Perennial Ryegrass by Activating the Antioxidative System

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.610-613.249 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 610-613 ◽

pp. 249-253 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jie Zhang ◽

Yan Wang ◽

Hong Fei Yang ◽

Jian Long Li

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Antioxidative Enzymes ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Guaiacol Peroxidase ◽

Cool Season ◽

Pre Treatment ◽

And Control ◽

Gpx Activity

The effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) of low concentration on thermotolerance of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea cv. Barlexas) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. Accent) was studied following a foliar pretreatment with 10 mM H2O2. Antioxidative enzymes activities and antioxidant content were measured in both cool-season turfgrass cultivars under heat stress (38/30 °C, day/night) and control normal temperature (26/15 °C, day/night). While activities of catalase(CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione-dependent peroxidases (GPX) were enhanced by H2O2pretreatment during heat stress. APX, GR and GPX activities were significantly enhanced during heat stress. These were likely the most important antioxidative enzymes in tall fescue and perennial ryegrass protecting plants against heat stress. The thermotolerance was also concomitant with an increased glutathione pool, as evaluated by the significant increase of the total glutathione pool in two pretreated cultivars. The increase of POD, CAT, APX, GR activities and significant increase of GPX activity prior to the initiation of heat stress in pre-treatment plants suggested a possible role for H2O2as a signaling molecule protecting them against the subsequent heat-induced damage.

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Strategies for Converting Tall Fescue to Warm-season Turf in a Mediterranean Climate

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.23.4.442 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 442-448 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Marco Schiavon ◽

Brent D. Barnes ◽

David A. Shaw ◽

J. Michael Henry ◽

James H. Baird

Keyword(s):

Tall Fescue ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Cynodon Dactylon ◽

Warm Season ◽

Field Studies ◽

Conservation Strategy ◽

Sea Spray ◽

Seashore Paspalum ◽

Zoysia Matrella

Replacing cool-season turf with more drought and heat tolerant warm-season turfgrass species is a viable water conservation strategy in climates where water resources and precipitation are limited. Field studies were conducted in Riverside and Irvine, CA, to investigate three methods (scalping, eradication with a nonselective herbicide, planting into existing turf) of converting an existing tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) sward to warm-season turf. Cultivars established vegetatively by plugging were ‘De Anza’ hybrid zoysiagrass [Zoysia matrella × (Z. japonica × Z. tenuifolia)], ‘Palmetto’ st. augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), ‘Tifsport’ hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis), ‘Sea Spray’ seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum), and ‘UC Verde’ buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides). Cultivars established from seeds were ‘Princess-77’ bermudagrass (C. dactylon) and ‘Sea Spray’ seashore paspalum. Neither scalping nor planting into existing tall fescue were effective conversion strategies, as none of the warm-season turfgrasses reached 50% groundcover within 1 year of planting. All of the species except for st. augustinegrass reached a higher percentage of groundcover at the end of the study when glyphosate herbicide was applied to tall fescue before propagation compared with the other conversion strategies. Bermudagrass and seashore paspalum established from seeds and hybrid bermudagrass from plugs provided the best overall establishment with 97%, 93%, and 85% groundcover, respectively, when glyphosate was used before establishment. Quality of seeded cultivars matched or exceeded that of cultivars established vegetatively by plugging. These results suggest that eradication of tall fescue turf followed by establishment of warm-season turf from seeds is the best and easiest turf conversion strategy.

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Physiological Responses to Heat Stress Alone or in Combination with Drought: A Comparison between Tall Fescue and Perennial Ryegrass

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.36.4.682 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 682-686 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

Yiwei Jiang ◽

Bingru Huang

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Root Growth ◽

Water Content ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Control Level ◽

Photochemical Efficiency ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Cool Season ◽

Root Dry Weight

Heat and drought are two major factors limiting growth of cool-season grasses during summer. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of heat stress alone (H) or in combination with drought (H+D) on photosynthesis, water relations, and root growth of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea L.) vs. perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Grasses were exposed to H (35 °C day/30 °C night) or H+D (induced by withholding irrigation) in growth chambers for 35 days. Soil water content declined under H+D for both grasses but to a greater extent for fescue than for ryegrass. Declines in canopy net photosynthetic rate (Pn), leaf photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), and leaf relative water content (RWC) and the increase in electrolyte leakage (EL) were much more severe and occurred earlier for ryegrass than fescue subjected to both H and H+D and for both species than under H+D then H. Evapotranspiration (ET) rate increased to above the control level within 3 or 6 days of H and H+D for both species, but fescue had a higher ET rate than ryegrass at 3 and 6 days of H and 6 days of H+D. Root dry weight and viability in all soil layers decreased under H and H+D for both species. However, fescue had higher root dry weight and viability than ryegrass in the 20-40 cm layer under H and in both the 0-20 and 20-40 cm layers under H+D. The results indicated that maintenance of higher Pn, Fv/Fm, ET, RWC, and root growth and lower EL would help cool-season turfgrass survive summer stress, and that their characteristics could be used for selecting stress tolerant species or cultivars.

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Physiological Response to Water Deficit Stress with Restricted Rooting in Tall Fescue and Zoysiagrass

Journal of Environmental Horticulture ◽

10.24266/0738-2898-38.1.29 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 29-36

Author(s):

Travis Culpepper ◽

Joseph Young ◽

David T. Montague ◽

Manish Sapkota ◽

Eduardo Escamilla ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Physiological Response ◽

Water Deficit Stress ◽

Zoysia Japonica ◽

Gross Photosynthesis ◽

Zoysia Matrella ◽

Turf Quality ◽

Green Cover ◽

Schedonorus Arundinaceus

Abstract Urban soils may restrict turfgrass rooting depth with shallow soil layers in high sand content soils, which may influence water conservation. A greenhouse study sought to quantify water usage and determine the physiological response of turfgrasses at four irrigation levels. ‘ATF-1434′ tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort. nom. cons.; syn. Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), ‘Jamur' Japanese lawngrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.), and ‘Zeon' Manilagrass [Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.] were established in 10 cm (4 in) diameter by 17.8 cm (7 in) tall containers. Each species was irrigated with 16.5, 21.9, 27.3, or 32.7 mm.wk−1 (0.65, 0.86, 1.1, or 1.3 in.wk−1). Gravimetric water loss was determined by pre- and post-irrigation pot weights. Turf quality, leaf discoloration, percent green cover, and gross photosynthesis were evaluated weekly and root parameters were measured at the conclusion of each trial. Although root mass was similar among species, water deficit stress and leaf discoloration occurred sooner in tall fescue than the two Zoysia species, reducing turf quality and green cover. Japanese lawngrass and Manilagrass had greater stomatal conductance, resulting in 109 and 89% higher gross photosynthesis relative to tall fescue. Both zoysiagrasses maintained acceptable turf quality with 27.3 mm water.wk−1. However, tall fescue quality was not acceptable at any irrigation level. Index words: Photosynthesis, gravimetric water loss, tall fescue, Japanese lawngrass, Manilagrass. Species used in this study: Tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort. nom. cons.; syn. Festuca arundinacea Schreb.); Japanese lawngrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.); Manilagrass [Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.].

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Research Advances on Tall Fescue Salt Tolerance: From Root Signaling to Molecular and Metabolic Adjustment

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs04120-17 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 142 (5) ◽

pp. 337-345 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Erick Amombo ◽

Huiying Li ◽

Jinmin Fu

Keyword(s):

Salinity Stress ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Stress Factors ◽

Adaptive Responses ◽

Salt Tolerant ◽

Cool Season ◽

Abiotic Stress Factors ◽

Metabolic Adjustment

Soil salinity is one of the major abiotic stress factors that constrain plant growth and limit crop productivity. About a quarter of the global land area is affected by salinity; therefore, there is increased need to develop salt-tolerant crops. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is one of the most important cool-season turfgrasses, which has medium tolerance to salinity and has a promising potential to be used as a turfgrass under saline conditions. However, up to now, the maximum use of tall fescue under salinity stress is still limited by inadequate scientific literature. Recent studies have attempted to identify various adaptive responses to salinity stress at molecular, cellular, metabolic, and physiological levels in tall fescue. The successful integration of information concerning signal sensing, molecular tools with recent advances in -omics would certainly provide a clue for creating salt-tolerant tall fescue. Because salinity limits water availability to plants via hindering water absorption, and by inducing physiological drought, here we review and propose a probable mechanism of tall fescue response to salinity stress and to similar effects induced by drought based on published literature.

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Characterization and Functional Analysis of FaHsfC1b from Festuca arundinacea Conferring Heat Tolerance in Arabidopsis

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms19092702 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (9) ◽

pp. 2702 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Lili Zhuang ◽

Wei Cao ◽

Jian Wang ◽

Jingjin Yu ◽

Zhimin Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Transgenic Plants ◽

Heat Tolerance ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Photochemical Efficiency ◽

Grass Species ◽

Pcr Analysis ◽

Plant Tolerance ◽

Qrt Pcr ◽

Class C

Heat transcription factors (Hsfs) belong to a large gene family classified into A, B, and C groups, with classes A and B Hsfs being well-characterized and known for their roles in plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. The functions and roles of Class C Hsfs are not well-documented. The objectives of this study were to characterize a class C Hsf gene (FaHsfC1b) cloned from tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), a perennial grass species, and to determine the physiological functions of FaHsfC1b in regulating heat tolerance by overexpressing FaHsfC1b in Arabidopsis thaliana. Full length cDNA of FaHsfC1b was cloned and the sequence alignment showed that it had high similarity to OsHsfC1b with typical DNA binding domain, hydrophobic oligomerization domain, and a nucleus localization signal. Transient expression with FaHsfC1b-eGFP in protoplasts of Arabidopsis leaves indicated its nucleus localization. qRT-PCR analysis showed that FaHsfC1b responded to heat, osmotic, salt, and cold stress in leaves and roots during 48-h treatment. Physiological analysis showed that FaHsfC1b overexpression enhanced plant survival rate, chlorophyll content, and photochemical efficiency, while it resulted in decreases in electrolyte leakage, H2O2 and O2− content under heat stress. qRT-PCR showed that endogenous HsfC1 was induced in transgenic plants and the expression levels of heat protection protein genes, including several HSPs, AtGalSyn1, AtRof1, and AtHSA32, as well as ABA-synthesizing gene (NCED3) were significantly upregulated in transgenic plants overexpressing FaHsfC1b under heat stress. Our results first demonstrate that HsfC1b plays positive roles in plant tolerance to heat stress in association with the induction and upregulation of heat-protective genes. HsfC1b may be used as a candidate gene for genetic modification of cool-season plant species for improving heat tolerance.

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Absorption, Translocation, and Metabolism of Amicarbazone in Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua), Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera), and Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-d-12-00136.1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 217-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Jialin Yu ◽

Patrick E. McCullough ◽

William K. Vencill

Keyword(s):

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Creeping Bentgrass ◽

Agrostis Stolonifera ◽

Poa Annua ◽

Physiological Effects ◽

Cool Season ◽

Foliar Absorption ◽

Annual Bluegrass

Amicarbazone controls annual bluegrass in cool-season turfgrasses but physiological effects that influence selectivity have received limited investigation. The objective of this research was to evaluate uptake, translocation, and metabolism of amicarbazone in these species. Annual bluegrass, creeping bentgrass, and tall fescue required < 3, 56, and 35 h to reach 50% foliar absorption, respectively. At 72 h after treatment (HAT), annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass translocated 73 and 70% of root-absorbed14C to shoots, respectively, while tall fescue only distributed 55%. Annual bluegrass recovered ≈ 50% more root-absorbed14C in shoots than creeping bentgrass and tall fescue. Creeping bentgrass and tall fescue metabolism of amicarbazone was ≈ 2-fold greater than annual bluegrass from 1 to 7 d after treatment (DAT). Results suggest greater absorption, more distribution, and less metabolism of amicarbazone in annual bluegrass, compared to creeping bentgrass and tall fescue, could be attributed to selectivity of POST applications.

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Preferences of Japanese Beetle and Southern Masked Chafer (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Grubs Among Cool-Season Turfgrasses

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-29.3.398 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 398-406 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Berry A. Crutchfield ◽

Daniel A. Potter

Keyword(s):

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

The Other ◽

Popillia Japonica ◽

Feeding Preferences ◽

Japanese Beetle ◽

Acremonium Coenophialum ◽

Cool Season ◽

Lolium Perenne L ◽

Choice Tests

Feeding preferences of Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, and southern masked chafer, Cyclocephala lurida Bland, grubs for six common cool-season turfgrasses were evaluated in choice tests in the greenhouse. On the basis of larval distributions, Popillia japonica consistently preferred perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L., over all other turfgrasses tested. In contrast, C. lurida showed no consistent pattern of preference. Presence of one grub species did not affect distribution of the other species. Grubs did not discriminate between tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb., infected with the endophyte Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones & Gams and endophyte-free tall fescue.

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