Salinity tolerance of 35 bentgrass cultivars

Relative salinity tolerance of 33 creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Hu ds), one colonial bentgrass (A. capillaris L.), and one velvet bentgrass (A . canina L.) cultivars were determined via hydroponics in a controlled-envi ronment greenhouse. After gradual acclimation, grasses were exposed to mode rate salinity stress (8 dS.m(-1)) for 10 weeks to determine tolerance to ch ronic salinity stress. Relative dry weight of leaf clippings (RLW), percent age of green leaf area (GL), root dry weight (RW), and root length (RL) wer e all effective parameters for predicting salinity tolerance. Following 10 weeks of salinity stress, RLW was correlated with GL (r = 0.72), with RW (r = 0.71), and with RL (r = 0.66). The range of salinity tolerance among cul tivars was substantial. 'Mariner', 'Grand Prix', 'Seaside', and 'Seaside II ' were salt-tolerant, 'L-93', 'Penn G-2', '18(th) Green', and 'Syn 96-1' we re moderately salt tolerant, and 'Avalon', 'Ambrosia', 'SR1119', 'Regent', 'Putter', 'Penncross', and 'Penn G-6' were salt sensitive.