Response of Chloris gayana cultivars to salinity. 1. Germination and Early vegetative growth.

TALEISNIK E; PEYRANO, G; ARIAS, MC

TROPICAL GRASSLANDS

TROPICAL GRASSLAND SOC AUST

Lugar: AUSTRALIA; Año: 1997 p. 232 - 240

0049-4763

The effects of salinity on germination, vegetative growth, regrowth after clipping, osmotic adjust- ment and ion accumulation were evaluated in 6 cultivars of Chloris gayana at the early stages of growth. Two tetraploid cultivars, Boma and Callide, and 4 diploid ones, Bell, Katambora, Pioneer and a local accession of Pioneer, were included in the study. The rate of water uptake in seeds was not affected by salinity (0?400 mM NaCl); however, saline solutions delayed or altogether inhibited germination. Nevertheless, seeds of all the culti- vars tested retained viability in 100 and 200 mM NaCl solutions, and germination percentages achieved after transfer to distilled water were not lower than 60%. Growth in all the cultivars was reduced at high salinities and cv. Boma was the most sensitive. This cultivar also had relatively lower Na and higher K accumulation in leaf tissues, and lower Na excretion via salt glands, than the other cultivars analysed.