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Growth of cool-season grasses declines with increasing temperatures. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of elevated night temperature on turf quality, root mortality, and carbohydrate metabolism in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stoloniferous L. var. palustris (Huds.) Farw (syn. A. palustris Huds.). Plants of `Penncross' were exposed to two night temperature regimes: 24 °C (higher night temperature); and 19 °C (lower temperature control) under the same day temperature (24 °C) in growth chambers for 45 days. Prolonged exposure of plants to higher night temperature reduced turf quality, canopy photosynthetic rate, whole-plant and root respiration rates during the day, translocation of newly fixed ¹⁴C assimilate to roots, and total nonstructural carbohydrate content in shoots and roots (including dead and live roots). Elevated night temperature increased root mortality and whole-plant and root respiration rates at night. Our results indicated that a decline in turf quality and increase in root dieback with high night temperature was mainly associated with increased night respiration rates of whole plant and roots and reduced carbohydrate availability.

Water requirements for `Meyer' zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud., hereafter referred to as zoysia), `Midlawn' bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy, hereafter referred to as bermuda], `Falcon II' tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and `Brilliant' kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L., hereafter referred to as bluegrass) were evaluated under a mobile rainout shelter at deficit irrigation levels of 20% to 100% of actual evapotranspiration (ET_a), applied twice weekly, between June and September 2001 and 2002. Soil was a river-deposited silt loam (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Aquic Arquidolls). Minimum annual irrigation amounts required to maintain quality ranged from 244 mm for bermuda to 552 mm for bluegrass. Turfgrass species and respective irrigation levels (% of ET_a) at which season-long acceptable turf quality was maintained in each year were bluegrass, 100% (evaluated 2001 only); tall fescue, 60% in 2001 and 80% in 2002; bermuda, 60% in both years; and zoysia, 80% in both years. A landscape manager who could tolerate one week of less-than-acceptable quality could have irrigated tall fescue at 40% ET_a (224 mm) in 2001 and 60% ET_a (359 mm) in 2002. Likewise, bermuda exhibited unacceptable quality on only one September rating date when irrigated at 40% ET_a (163 mm) in 2001. Bermuda was able to tolerate a lower leaf relative water content (LRWC) and higher level of leaf electrolyte leakage (EL) compared to other grasses before quality declined to an unacceptable level.

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.

Effects of deficit irrigation applied to home lawns, used as means of water conservation, are an important issue. However, the impact of deficit irrigation on sucrose metabolism in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is unknown and important because sucrose is the dominant form of carbohydrate transported to developing plant organs. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of deficit irrigation on leaf water content, osmotic potential (ψ_S), sucrose level, and the activity of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS; EC 2.4.1.14), sucrose synthase (SS; EC 2.4.1.13), and acid invertase (AI; EC 3.2.1.26) in tall fescue leaves. Sods of ‘Falcon II’ tall fescue were established in polyvinylchloride (PVC) tubes (10 cm diameter × 40 cm long) filled with a mixture of sand and fritted clay [9:1 (v:v)] and then placed in growth chambers. Reference evapotranspiration rate [ETo (millimeters of water per day)] was determined by weighing the PVC tubes containing well-watered turfgrass every 3 days to determine water loss on a daily basis as ETo. Deficit irrigation treatments were applied as follows: well-watered control, mild drought stress (60% ETo), and severe drought stress (20% ETo). Leaf water content was lower at 6, 12, and 20 days of treatment for the 20% ETo treatment and 20 days after treatment began for the 60% ETo treatment. Compared with the well-watered control, ψ_S was lower in the 60% ETo treatment on all three measurement dates. Sucrose was higher at 8 and 14 days after treatment began in the 60% ETo treatment and on all three measurement dates in the 20% ETo treatment relative to the well-watered control. No difference in sucrose level was observed between the 20% ETo and 60% ETo irrigation regimes at 8 and 14 days of treatment. Beginning 14 days after treatment, tall fescue had a higher level of SPS in the 60% ETo and 20% ETo treatments compared with the well-watered treatment. Tall fescue receiving 60% or 20% ETo had a lower level of AI activity on all measurement dates. Results suggest that the decrease in ψ_S was accompanied by higher sucrose levels, which were the result of the increased level of SPS and SS activity and a decline in AI activity.

Carbohydrates provide energy required to maintain healthy plant growth in summer. Coring is performed periodically on creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) putting greens for numerous reasons; however, its impact on carbohydrate metabolism in creeping bentgrass is unknown. The objectives of this 2-year field study were to examine the effects of coring on rates of photosynthesis (P_n) and whole plant respiration (R_w), and to quantify water-soluble carbohydrates [WSC (i.e., glucose, fructose, and sucrose)], storage carbohydrates [SC (i.e., fructan and starch], and total nonstructural carbohydrates [TNC (i.e., WSC + SC)] in creeping bentgrass leaves and roots during the summer. The study site was ‘Providence’ creeping bentgrass grown on a sand-based root zone and was maintained as a putting green. Three coring treatments were assessed as follows: spring-only coring, spring plus three summer corings, and a noncored control. P_n and R_w were measured about 21 d following coring with hollow tines. P_n and R_w rates generally were similar among all three coring treatments in both years. Hence, summer coring had no apparent negative impact on P_n or R_w. Leaf and root WSC, SC, and TNC levels were similar among coring treatments throughout the summer of each year. However, root TNC levels were lower in July of each year in spring plus summer-cored bentgrass versus other coring treatments. By September, leaves and roots from spring plus summer-cored creeping bentgrass had higher TNC levels when compared with spring-only or noncored bentgrass. Leaf and root SC levels from spring plus summer-cored bentgrass were also higher in September than were observed in noncored bentgrass. Spring plus summer coring benefited creeping bentgrass by promoting an accumulation of carbohydrates in late summer, which could assist plants in their recovery from summer stresses.

This field study was conducted to investigate carbon metabolic responses to deep and infrequent (DI) versus light and frequent (LF) irrigation in ‘Providence’ creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.). LF irrigation was performed daily to wet soil to a depth of 4 to 6 cm, whereas DI irrigation was performed at leaf wilt to wet soil to a depth of ≥24 cm. The creeping bentgrass was seeded into a sand-based root zone in 2005 and was maintained as a putting green during the 2006 and 2007 study years. Canopy net photosynthesis (P_n) and whole plant respiration (R_w) were monitored, and water-soluble carbohydrates [WSC (i.e., glucose, fructose, and sucrose)], storage carbohydrates [SC (i.e., fructan and starch)], and total nonstructural carbohydrates [TNC (i.e., the sum of water soluble and storage sugars)] in leaf and root tissue were quantified. Creeping bentgrass subjected to DI irrigation had a lower P_n and a generally similar R_w compared with LF-irrigated bentgrass. DI irrigated bentgrass generally had greater levels of WSC and TNC in leaf tissue in 2006 and similar levels in 2007 when compared with LF-irrigated bentgrass. Leaf SC levels were higher in DI- than LF-irrigated bentgrass in both years. Creeping bentgrass roots subjected to DI irrigation generally had greater SC and TNC levels in both years than were found in LF-irrigated plants. Root WSC levels were higher (2006) or similar (2007) in DI- versus LF-irrigated bentgrass. Irrigating creeping bentgrass at wilt rather than daily to maintain moist soil generally resulted in higher carbohydrate levels in leaves and roots, which may enable creeping bentgrass to better tolerate and recover from drought and other stresses.

Understanding turfgrass physiological responses to deficit irrigation will help explain potential effects of this practice on turf quality and subsequent stresses. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of deficit irrigation growth and physiology of ‘Falcon II’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb) and ‘Meyer’ zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud). Turf was subjected to deficit irrigation levels of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of actual evapotranspiration (ET) from June to Sept. 2001 and 2002 in Manhattan, Kans. In an earlier study, minimum deficit irrigation levels required to maintain acceptable quality (MDIL) were determined. We compared growth and physiological parameters at these MDIL with turf irrigated at 100% ET. Tall fescue had a lower canopy vertical growth rate (30% lower), canopy net photosynthesis (P_n, 14% lower), and whole-plant respiration (R_w, 11% lower) in 1 of 2 years when irrigated at the MDIL compared with 100% ET; tiller number was not reduced at the MDIL. Water use efficiency (μmol CO₂ per mmol H₂O) in tall fescue increased by 15% at the MDIL relative to turf receiving 100% ET in 1 of 2 years. In zoysiagrass, the MDIL had no effect on any of the growth or physiological parameters measured. Reductions in canopy vertical growth rate at the MDIL in tall fescue during deficit irrigation would likely reduce mowing requirements. Across all deficit irrigation levels, P_n was more sensitive to deficit irrigation in both grasses than was R_w, which could potentially contribute to declines in canopy vertical growth rate, tiller number, and turf quality. Zoysiagrass exhibited higher water use efficiency than tall fescue, particularly at irrigation levels 60% or more ET.

Deficit irrigation is increasingly used to conserve water, but its impact on turfgrass rooting has not been well documented. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of deficit irrigation on ‘Falcon II’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) root characteristics in the field using a minirhizotron imaging system. The experiment was conducted on a silt loam soil from the first week of June to mid-Sept. 2001 and 2002 using a mobile rainout shelter under which turf received applications of 20%, 60%, or 100% of actual evapotranspiration (ET) twice weekly. Neither soil water content (0 to 25 cm) nor tall fescue rooting between 4.1- and 50.1-cm depths was affected by irrigation at 60% compared with 100% ET. Despite consistently lower soil water content, tall fescue irrigated at 20% ET exhibited an increase in root parameters beginning in July or August. Tall fescue subjected to 20% ET irrigation had greater total root length and surface area on two of five monitoring dates in 2002 compared with that receiving 100% ET. Evaluation of tall fescue rooting by depth indicated that root proliferation at 20% ET was occurring between 8.7- and 36.3-cm depths. As evaluated under the conditions of this experiment, turfgrass managers using deficit irrigation as a water conservation strategy on tall fescue should not be concerned about a reduction in rooting deep in the soil profile, and irrigation at 20% ET may result in root growth enhancement.

Plant adaptation to salt stress may be associated with morphological, physiological, and gene expression alterations. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of salt stress on morphological and antioxidant enzyme changes and its gene expressions in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon). Salt-tolerant ‘C43’ and salt-sensitive ‘C198’, previously determined in our preliminary study, were subjected to four salinity levels: 0 mm (control), 100 mm (low), 200 mm (moderate), and 400 mm (high) NaCl for 21 days. Salt stress decreased turf quality and canopy height, especially in ‘C198’. Salt stress increased root length, root number, root fresh weight, and root/shoot length ratio, to a greater extent in salt-tolerant genotype. Salt stress increased Na⁺ and decreased K⁺ content, which resulted in a higher Na⁺/K⁺ ratio in bermudagrass, to a great extent in shoot and root of ‘C198’. Moderate (200 mm) and high (400 mm) salt concentration increased malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide content in old leaves of ‘C198’. ‘C43’ exhibited a greater activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and dehydro-ascorbate reductase (DHAR) than ‘C198’ in old leaves subjected to 200 and 400 mm NaCl. Antioxidant gene expressions were upregulated in new leaves and downregulated in old leaves with increasing salinity levels for both genotypes. Salt-tolerant genotypes exhibited a relatively greater antioxidant gene expression than salt-sensitive ones when exposed to the same level of salt stress. These results suggested that SOD, CAT, APX, and DHAR might be involved in scavenging salt stress-induced reactive oxygen species in bermudagrass at the level of gene expression. Salt tolerance might be attributed to the development and maintenance of a more extensive root system under saline conditions and induced antioxidant gene expressions, leading to more efficient enzyme stimulation and protection in bermudagrass.

Plants possess abiotic stress responses that alter photosynthetic metabolism under salinity stress. The objective of this study was to identify the stomatal and metabolic changes associated with photosynthetic responses to NaCl stress in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Five-week-old seedlings of two perennial ryegrass genotypes, PI 516605 (salt-sensitive) and BARLP 4317 (salt-tolerant), were subjected to 0 and 250 mm NaCl for 8 days. The salt tolerance in perennial ryegrass was significantly associated with leaf relative water content (RWC) and photosynthetic capacity through the maintenance of greater metabolic activities under prolonged salt stress. BARLP 4317 maintained greater turf quality, RWC, and stomatal limitations but a lower level of lipid peroxidation [malondialdehyde (MDA)] and intercellular CO₂ concentration than PI 516605 at 8 days after treatment (DAT). Ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase:oxygenase (Rubisco) activity and activation state, transcriptional level of rbcL gene, and expression level of Rubisco large subunit (LSU) declined in stressed perennial ryegrass but were higher in salt-tolerant genotype at 8 DAT. Furthermore, photosynthetic rate increased linearly with increasing Rubisco activity, Rubisco activation state, and RWC in both genotypes. The same linear relationship was found between RWC and Rubisco activity. However, MDA content decreased linearly with increasing RWC in both genotypes. Salinity-induced inhibition of photosynthesis in perennial ryegrass was mainly the result of stomatal limitation during early salt stress and metabolic limitation associated with the inhibition of RWC, activity of Rubisco, expression level of rbcL gene, and LSU under a prolonged period of severe salinity.