Rhizobacteria Inoculation Enhanced the Growth Performance of Paspalum Turfgrass under Saline Conditions

Fadil, Shaimaa; Hassan, Fahmy; Fetouh, Mohammed; El-Serafy, Rasha; Moussa, Mohamed

doi:10.21608/jsaes.2025.386499.1138

Rhizobacteria Inoculation Enhanced the Growth Performance of Paspalum Turfgrass under Saline Conditions

Document Type : Original research paper

Authors

¹ Horticulture Department of Agriculture Tanta University Egypt

² Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University

³ Horticulture Department of Agriculture Menoufia University Egypt

10.21608/jsaes.2025.386499.1138

Abstract

Recently, non-potable water sources are increasingly used for turfgrass management due to freshwater limitations and conservation efforts, and optimizing landscape irrigation, particularly in water-scarce regions, is crucial. However, salinity, exacerbated by low-quality irrigation water and soil salinization, poses a significant abiotic stress, impacting turfgrass growth and development. Paspalum is principally cultivated in various landscaping projects, most of which are located in coastal regions where reclaimed or brackish water is used for irrigation due to the reduced availability and increased cost of fresh water. However, these water resources contain great amounts of salt ions, and their extended use can raise the content of salt in turf, thereby inhibiting turfgrass growth. In this study, Paspalum vaginatum was exposed to diluted seawater at 0, 150 and 200 mM or rhizobacteria inoculation separately or in combination. Rhizobacteria inoculation improved growth performance, with treated plants exhibiting higher fresh and dry weights throughout the investigated period compared to untreated. However, salinity treatment reduced clipping fresh and dry weights more so at 200 mM. On the other hand, rhizobacteria inoculation markedly enhanced clipping fresh and dry weights under salt stress conditions. Rhizobacteria inoculation also enhanced relative water content, total chlorophyll, proline content, peroxidase activity and the contents of N, P and K elements compared to the control. These positive impacts of rhizobacteria inoculation were also observed when paspalum was exposed to salt stress. These results enrich awareness concerning the possible beneﬁts of the external application of rhizobacteria and their roles that can help investigators to improve turf grasses’ performance under salt stress.

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