Genotypic Variation for Salinity Tolerance in Cenchrus ciliaris L

Area of Science:

• Agronomy
• Plant Breeding
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Increasing soil salinization and water scarcity threaten forage production sustainability in arid/semi-arid regions.
• Salt-tolerant perennial species offer a viable solution for livestock needs in salt-affected areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To screen 160 buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) accessions for salinity tolerance.
• To identify stable, salt-tolerant accessions with high dry biomass yield for forage production.

Main Methods:

• A three-year field trial (2003-2005) using plastic pots with a sand, organic, and peat moss mix.
• Irrigation with four water qualities: 0, 10, 15, and 20 dS m⁻¹ electrical conductivity (EC).
• Evaluation of dry weight (DW) and application of Principle Component and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis.

Main Results:

• Average annual dry weights decreased with increasing salinity levels (0-20 dS m⁻¹).
• Significant variation in DW among 160 buffelgrass accessions was observed.
• Accessions 3, 133, 159, 30, 23, 142, 141, 95, 49, 129, 124, and 127 demonstrated stable, salt-tolerant, high dry biomass yield.

Conclusions:

• Specific buffelgrass accessions exhibit significant salinity tolerance and high yield potential.
• These identified accessions can be promoted in marginal, salt-affected lands to improve farm productivity.
• Buffelgrass offers a sustainable forage solution for livestock in challenging environments.