PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND YIE DS OF GRASSES GROWN IN SA INE CONDITION

Abstract

The aim of this study was to know effects of saline condition to crop physiology,growth and forages yield.A factorial complete random design was use in this study.The first factor was type of grass,these were king grass (Pennisetum hybrid ),napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum),panicum grass (Panicum maximum ),setaria grass (Setaria sphacelata )and star grass (Cynodon plectostachyus ).The second factor was salt solution (NaCl)with concentration 0,100,200 and 300 mM.Parameters of this experiment were the percentage of chlorophyll,rate of photosynthesis,number of tiller,biomass and dry matter yiel .Data were analyze by analysis of variance and followe by Duncan ’s multiple range test when there were significant effects of the treatment.Panicum grass ha the highest chlorophyll content (1.85 mg/g of leaf).Photosynthesis rate of setaria grass was the lowest.The increasing of NaCl concentration up to 300 mM NaCl reduce chlorophyll content,rate of photosynthesis,tiller number, biomass yiel and dry matter yield.Responses of leaf area,biomass and ry matter yiel to salinity were linear for king,napier,panicum and setaria grasses.In tar grass,the response of leaf area and biomass ware linear,but those of dry matter yiel was quadratic.The response of tiller number to salinity was linear for all species. Keywords :biomass,dry matter yield,grass,photosynthesis,saline.