Abstract:
In order to explore the alleviating effect of ethionine on tall fescue (
Festuca arundinacea) under salt stress, the effects of different ethionine concentrations on salt tolerance of tall fescue turf grass were studied with pot salt control method and random block design.The results showed that application of ethionine could significantly improve the quality and relative growth rate of tall fescue under salt stress, the photochemical efficiency, chlorophyll content and osmotic potential of leaves were increased, and the electrolyte leakage rate was decreased. The difference was significant (
P < 0.05). After 14 days of salt stress, there was significant difference in turf quality, relative growth rate, photochemical efficiency, osmotic potential and electrolyte permeability among different concentrations of ethionine (
P < 0.05). The mitigation effect of spraying 300 mg/L ethionine was the best, but there was no significant difference in chlorophyll content among different concentrations of ethionine (
P < 0.05). The correlation analysis showed that the photochemistry rate was positively correlated with turf quality and relative growth rate under salt stress (
P < 0.05), and the correlation coefficients were 0.848 and 0.806, respectively. The osmotic potential was positively correlated with turf quality and relative growth rate (
P < 0.05), and the correlation coefficients were 0.867 and 0.884, respectively. There were negative correlations between electrolyte permeability and turf quality and relative growth rate (
P < 0.05), with correlation coefficients of −0.831 and −0.865, respectively, while the chlorophyll content was not significantly correlated with turf quality and relative growth rate of tall fescue (
P > 0.05). Therefore, the turf quality and relative growth rate of tall fescue under salt stress can be measured by photochemical rate, osmotic potential and electrolyte leakage. It is concluded that the theoretical basis and technological approaches for ethionine on alleviating salt stress and the mechanism of salt resistance of tall fescue were provided.