IMPACT OF IRRIGATION WITH SALINE WATER ON GROWTH, QUALITY AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF TALL FESCUE TURF (FESTUCA ARUNDINACEA SCHREB. VAR. FESTORINA)

Two tray experiments were conducted in the open field at Orman Botanical Garden, Giza, Egypt during 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons to study the effects of saline irrigation water prepared from NaCl and CaCl2 pure salts (1:1, by weight) at the rates of 0, 2000, 4000, 8000 and 12000 ppm on growth, quality and chemical composition of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. var. Festorina) plants cultivated by seeds in plastic trays (51 x 36 x 10 cm) filled with about 15 kg of loamy soil/ tray at the rate of 5 g seeds/tray. The obtained results in both seasons indicated that salinity of irrigation water up to 4000 ppm had no deleterious effects on plant height, density % and fresh and dry weights of herb and roots, except for 2000 ppm salinity treatment which significantly improved vegetative and root growth of treated plants compared to the control. The opposite was right regarding 8000 and 12000 ppm levels, which reduced all vegetative and root growth parameters, especially 12000 ppm level that gave the least means with significant differences when compared to control means in the two seasons. Moreover, chlorophylls a and b in the leaves and N and P content in the herb were decreased as the concentration of salinity was increased, while the contents of carotenoides, K, Na, Cl and the free amino acid proline were progressively increased with increasing salinity level. According to these results, it could be concluded that Festuca arundinacea Schreb. var. Festorina turf can relatively tolerate salinity of irrigation water up to 8000 ppm with the least harmful effects.