Salinity Tolerance of Two Native Grass Species.

Salinity is a nationwide problem that adversely affects plant growth and development. Salinity tolerance of five buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) cvs. Bison, Cody, Bowie, Texoka, and Sharp’s Improved and three blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) ecotypes, ‘Bad River’, ‘Lovington’, and ‘Hachita’ was determined in a hydroponic system with NaCl at 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 g L^-1. Buffalograss exhibited higher salt sensitivity than blue grama grasses during germination. Final germination rate was reduced more than 50% at 5 g L^-1 NaCl in all buffalograss cultivars. Furthermore, no cultivars showed seed germination at saline concentrations at 10 g L^-1 NaCl or higher, except ‘Bowie’ (4% at 10 g L^-1). In contrast, the average germination reduction was 47.6% of blue grama ecotypes at 10 g L^-1 NaCl. ‘Lovington’ blue grama showed the highest final germination rate at 20 g L^-1 NaCl (18%), followed by ‘Bad River’ (13%) and ‘Hachita’ (4%). Salinity tolerance of mature buffalograss and blue grama is to be determined.