scholarly journals Responses of Ornamental Grass and Grasslike Plants to Saline Water Irrigation

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 799-806
Author(s):  
Youping Sun ◽  
Alyssa Lanae Palmer
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Visual Quality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Saline Irrigation ◽  
Blue Grama ◽  
Salt Damage ◽  
Sea Oats ◽  
Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses are popular in urban landscapes in Utah and the Intermountain West United States, one of the driest and fastest growing regions in the United States. This experiment evaluated the responses of five ornamental grass species [blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), indian sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), ‘Blue Dune’ sand ryegrass (Leymus arenarius), pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), ‘Foxtrot’ fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)] and two ornamental grasslike species [fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea), common rush (Juncus effusus)] to saline irrigation water in a greenhouse. Plants were irrigated weekly with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m–1 (control) or saline solutions at an EC of 5.0 or 10.0 dS·m–1. At the first harvest (9 weeks after the initiation of treatment), sand ryegrass, pink muhly grass, and fountain grass irrigated with solutions at an EC of 5.0 and 10 dS·m–1 had good visual quality with no or minimal foliar salt damage; however, the remaining species exhibited slight or moderate foliar salt damage. There were no significant differences in shoot dry weight (DW) among treatments within any species, except fox sedge and fountain grass. At the second harvest (18 weeks after the initiation of treatment), sand ryegrass, pink muhly grass, and fountain grass still had no or minimal foliar salt damage, and indian sea oats and fox sedge exhibited slight or moderate foliar salt damage. Compared with the control, all species irrigated with solutions at an EC of 10.0 dS·m–1 had reduced shoot DWs with the exception of blue grama. However, only common rush and pink muhly grass irrigated with solutions at an EC of 5.0 dS·m–1 had lower shoot DWs than the control. These results demonstrated that seven ornamental grass or grasslike species had a very strong tolerance to the salinity levels used in the 4-month experiment. Although plant growth was inhibited as a result of saline irrigation, plant visual quality of sand ryegrass, pink muhly grass, and fountain grass was still acceptable. These three species appear to be more suitable for landscapes in which saline irrigation water is used. Further research is needed to evaluate more ornamental grasses for landscapes in salt-prone areas and nearby coastal regions.

scholarly journals Growth, Gas Exchange, and Mineral Nutrients of Ornamental Grasses Irrigated with Saline Water

HortScience ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 1840-1846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxiang Wang ◽  
Youping Sun ◽  
Genhua Niu ◽  
Chaoyi Deng ◽  
Yi Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Panicum Virgatum ◽  
Saline Solution ◽  
Saline Water ◽  
The United States ◽  
Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Miscanthus Sinensis ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Salt Damage ◽  
Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses are commonly used in urban landscapes in Utah and the Intermountain West of the United States. The relative salt tolerance of Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud. (purple love grass), Miscanthus sinensis Andersson ‘Gracillimus’ (maiden grass), Panicum virgatum L. ‘Northwind’ (switchgrass), and Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash (little bluestem) were evaluated in a greenhouse. Plants were irrigated with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m–1 (control), or saline solution at an EC of 5.0 or 10.0 dS·m–1. At harvest (65 days after the initiation of treatment), P. virgatum and S. scoparium exhibited no foliar salt damage, and E. spectabilis and M. sinensis had minimal foliar salt damage when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 5.0 dS·m–1. At an EC of 10.0 dS·m–1, P. virgatum and S. scoparium still had no foliar salt damage, but E. spectabilis and M. sinensis displayed slight foliar salt damage, with visual scores greater than 3 (0 = dead; 5 = excellent). Compared with the control, saline solution at an EC of 5.0 and 10.0 dS·m–1 reduced the shoot dry weight of all ornamental grasses by 25% and 46%, respectively. The leaf sodium (Na+) concentration of E. spectabilis, M. sinensis, P. virgatum, and S. scoparium irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m–1 increased 14.3, 52.6, 5.3, and 1.7 times, respectively, and the chloride (Cl–) concentration increased by 9.4, 11.1, 2.8, and 2.7 times, respectively. As a result of the salt-induced water deficit, plant height, leaf area, number of inflorescences and tillers, net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gS), and transpiration rate of four tested ornamental grasses decreased to some extent. Although high Na+ and Cl– accumulated in the leaf tissue, all ornamental grass species still had a good visual quality, with average visual scores greater than 3. In conclusion, all ornamental grasses showed a very strong tolerance to the salinity levels used in this research.

scholarly journals Relative Salt Tolerance of Seven Japanese Spirea Cultivars

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-373
Author(s):  
Yuxiang Wang ◽  
Liqin Li ◽  
Youping Sun ◽  
Xin Dai
Keyword(s):  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Saline Solution ◽  
Visual Quality ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Saline Irrigation ◽  
Salt Damage ◽  
Shoot Dry Weight ◽  
Salinity Levels ◽  
Saline Solutions

Spirea (Spiraea sp.) plants are commonly used in landscapes in Utah and the intermountain western United States. The relative salt tolerance of seven japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica) cultivars (Galen, Minspi, NCSX1, NCSX2, SMNSJMFP, Tracy, and Yan) were evaluated in a greenhouse. Plants were irrigated with a nutrient solution with an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m−1 (control) or saline solutions with an EC of 3.0 or 6.0 dS·m−1 once per week for 8 weeks. At 8 weeks after the initiation of treatment, all japanese spirea cultivars irrigated with saline solution with an EC of 3.0 dS·m−1 still exhibited good or excellent visual quality, with all plants having visual scores of 4 or 5 (0 = dead, 1 = severe foliar salt damage, 2 = moderate foliar salt damage, 3 = slight foliar salt damage, 4 = minimal foliar salt damage, 5 = excellent), except for Tracy and Yan, with only 29% and 64%, respectively, of plants with visual scores less than 3. When irrigated with saline solution with an EC of 6.0 dS·m−1, both ‘Tracy’ and ‘Yan’ plants died, and 75% of ‘NCSX2’ plants died. ‘Minspi’ showed severe foliar salt damage, with 32% of plants having a visual score of 1; 25% of plants died. ‘Galen’ and ‘NCSX1’ had slight-to-moderate foliar salt damage, with 25% and 21%, respectively, of plants with visual scores of 2 or less. However, 64% of ‘SMNSJMFP’ plants had good or excellent visual quality, with visual scores more than 4. Saline irrigation water with an EC of 3.0 dS·m−1 decreased the shoot dry weight of ‘Galen’, ‘Minspi’, ‘SMNSJMFP’, and ‘Yan’ by 27%, 22%, 28%, and 35%, respectively, compared with that of the control. All japanese spirea cultivars had 35% to 56% lower shoot dry weight than the control when they were irrigated with saline irrigation water with an EC of 6.0 dS·m−1. The japanese spirea were moderately sensitive to the salinity levels in this experiment. ‘Galen’ and ‘SMNSJMFP’ japanese spirea exhibited less foliar salt damage and reductions in shoot dry weight and were relatively more tolerant to the increased salinity levels tested in this study than the remaining five cultivars (Minspi, NCSX1, NCSX2, Tracy, and Yan).

scholarly journals Morphological and Physiological Responses of Ornamental Grasses to Saline Water Irrigation

HortScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Haifeng Xing ◽  
Julie Hershkowitz ◽  
Asmita Paudel ◽  
Youping Sun ◽  
Ji Jhong Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saline Water ◽  
Reclaimed Water ◽  
Visual Quality ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Salt Tolerant ◽  
Salt Damage ◽  
Saline Water Irrigation ◽  
Landscape Plants ◽  
Acorus Gramineus ◽  
Ornamental Grasses

Reclaimed water provides a reliable and economical alternative source of irrigation water for landscape use but may have elevated levels of salts that are detrimental to sensitive landscape plants. Landscape professionals must use salt-tolerant plants in regions where reclaimed water is used. Ornamental grasses are commonly used as landscape plants in the Intermountain West of the United States due to low maintenance input, drought tolerance, and unique texture. Six ornamental grass species, including Acorus gramineus (Japanese rush), Andropogon ternarius (silver bluestem), Calamagrostis ×acutiflora (feather reed grass), Carex morrowii (Japanese sedge), Festuca glauca (blue fescue), and Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed), were evaluated for salinity tolerance. Plants were irrigated every 4 days with a fertilizer solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m–1 (control) or with a saline solution at an EC of 5.0 dS·m–1 (EC 5) or 10.0 dS·m–1 (EC 10). At 47 days, most species in EC 5 exhibited good visual quality with averaged visual scores greater than 4.6 (0 = dead, 5 = excellent). In EC 10, most A. gramineus plants died, but C. ×acutiflora, F. glauca, and S. heterolepis had no foliar salt damage. At 95 days, C. ×acutiflora, F. glauca, and S. heterolepis in EC 5 had good visual quality with averaged visual scores greater than 4.5. Acorus gramineus, A. ternarius, and C. morrowii showed foliar salt damage with averaged visual scores of 2.7, 3.2, and 3.4, respectively. In EC 10, A. gramineus died, and other grass species exhibited moderate to severe foliar salt damage, except C. ×acutiflora, which retained good visual quality. Plant height, leaf area, number of tillers, shoot dry weight, and/or gas exchange parameters also decreased depending on plant species, salinity level, and the duration of exposure to salinity stress. In conclusion, A. gramineus was the most salt-sensitive species, whereas C. ×acutiflora was the most salt-tolerant species. Festuca glauca and S. heterolepis were more tolerant to salinity than A. ternarius and C. morrowii. Calamagrostis ×acutiflora, F. glauca, and S. heterolepis appear to be more suitable for landscapes in which reclaimed water is used for irrigation. Plant responses to saline water irrigation in this research could also be applied to landscapes in salt-prone areas and coastal regions with saltwater intrusion into aquifers and landscapes affected by maritime salt spray.

scholarly journals Enteric Viruses and Pepper Mild Mottle Virus Show Significant Correlation in Select Mid-Atlantic Agricultural Waters

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brienna L. Anderson-Coughlin ◽  
Shani Craighead ◽  
Alyssa Kelly ◽  
Samantha Gartley ◽  
Adam Vanore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Enteric Viruses ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mottle Virus ◽  
Pepper Mild Mottle Virus ◽  
Atlantic Region ◽  
Viral Pathogen

Enteric viruses (EV) are the largest contributors to foodborne illness and outbreaks globally. Their ability to persist in the environment, coupled with the challenges experienced in environmental monitoring create a critical aperture through which agricultural crops may become contaminated. This study involved a seventeen-month investigation of select human enteric viruses and viral indicators in non-traditional irrigation water sources, surface and reclaimed waters, in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Real-time quantitative PCR was used for detection of Aichi virus, hepatitis A virus, noroviruses GI and GII. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), a common viral indicator of human fecal contamination, was also evaluated along with atmospheric (air and water temperature, cloud cover, and precipitation 24 h, 7 d and 14 d prior to sample collection) and physicochemical (dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity and turbidity) data to determine if there were any association between EV and measured parameters. EV were detected more frequently in reclaimed waters (32%, n=22) than in surface waters (4%, n=49) similar to PMMoV detection frequency in surface (33%, n=42) and reclaimed (67%, n=21) water. Our data show a significant correlation between EV and PMMoV (R2=0.628; p<0.05) detection in reclaimed water samples, but not in surface waters (R2=0.476; p=0.78). Water salinity significantly affected the detection of both EV and PMMoV (p<0.05) as demonstrated by logistic regression analyses. These results provide relevant insights into the extent and degree of association between human enteric (pathogenic) viruses and water quality data in Mid-Atlantic surface and reclaimed waters as potential sources for agricultural irrigation. IMPORTANCE Microbiological analysis of agricultural waters is fundamental to ensure microbial food safety. The highly variable nature of non-traditional sources of irrigation water are particularly difficult to test for the presence of viruses. Multiple characteristics influence viral persistence in a water source as well as affect the recovery and detection methods which are employed. Testing for a suite of viruses in water samples is often too costly and labor intensive, making identification of suitable indicators for viral pathogen contamination necessary. The results from this study address two critical data gaps: enteric virus prevalence in surface and reclaimed waters of the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and subsequent evaluation of physicochemical and atmospheric parameters used to inform the potential for use of indicators of viral contamination.

scholarly journals Geographical Characterization of Greenhouse Irrigation Water

1997 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Argo ◽  
John A. Biernbaum ◽  
Darryl D. Warncke
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Water Source ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Distribution Analysis ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
Mean Values

Chemical analyses of 4306 randomly selected greenhouse water samples for 1995 from the United States and Canada were obtained from four analytical laboratories and graphically characterized using a distribution analysis. For pH, electro-conductivity (EC), and nutrient concentrations, a mean and median value and the percentage of samples with concentrations above or below those generally considered acceptable are presented for all samples and the 10 leading states in floricultural production. The median nutrient concentrations were more representative of the type of water found throughout the United States and Canada than that of the mean values because of the unequal distribution of the data. The overall median water source had a pH of 7.1; an EC of 0.4 dS·m−1; an alkalinity of CaCO3 at 130 mg·L−1; (in mg·L−1) 40 Ca, 11 Mg, 8 SO4−S, 13 Na, 14 Cl, 0.02 B, and <0.01 F; a Ca: Mg ratio of 3.2, and a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 0.7. The information presented characterizes irrigation water and may assist in developing more refined fertilizer recommendations for greenhouse crop production.

scholarly journals Distribution of a New Invasive Species, Sipha maydis (Heteroptera: Aphididae), on Cereals and Wild Grasses in the Southern Plains and Rocky Mountain States

2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 1713-1721
Author(s):  
Gary J Puterka ◽  
Robert W Hammon ◽  
Melissa Franklin ◽  
Dolores W Mornhinweg ◽  
Tim Springer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Host Range ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
The United States ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
New Host ◽  
Southern Plains ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Winter Temperatures ◽  
Sorghum Production

Abstract Sipha maydis Passerini (Heteroptera: Aphididae) is a cereal pest with an extensive geographical range that includes countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Reports of S. maydis in the United States have been infrequent since it was first detected in California, 2007. Two studies, focused (NW CO) and multistate (OK, TX, NM, CO, UT, WY), were conducted to determine the distribution and host range of S. maydis in the Rocky Mountain and Southern Plains states over a 3-yr period, 2015–2017. In 2015, focused sampling in NW Colorado found S. maydis at 59% of the 37 sites, primarily on wheat. Sipha maydis did not survive extreme winter temperatures from late December 2015 to early January 2016 that ranged from −9.0 to −20.9°C over a 9-d period, which resulted in no aphids detected in 2016. In the multistate study, S. maydis occurred in 14.6% of 96 sites sampled in 2015, 8% of 123 sites in 2016, and 9% of 85 sites in 2017 at wide range of altitudes from 1,359 to 2,645 m. Sipha maydis occurred mainly in NW and SW Colorado and NE New Mexico along with a few sites in NE Colorado, SE Utah, and SE Wyoming. This aphid mainly infested wheat followed by a variety of eight wild grass species. No parasites, predators, sexual morphs, or significant plant damage occurred at the sites. Sipha maydis utilized 14 hosts in the United States including 8 new host records, which expands its host range to 52 plant species worldwide. Sipha maydis may be of concern to wheat, barley, and sorghum production in the United States if its populations continue to increase.

The Role of Irrigation in the Development of Agriculture in the United States

2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 1103-1141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric C. Edwards ◽  
Steven M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
The United States ◽  
Western United States ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Annual Increase ◽  
Small Streams

We examine the role of irrigation in explaining U.S. agricultural gains post-1940. Specifically, we analyze how productivity and farm values changed in the western United States as a result of technological and policy changes that expanded access to ground and surface water. To statistically identify the effects, we compare counties based on their potential access to irrigation water defined by physical characteristics. We find areas with access to large streams and/or groundwater increase crop production relative to areas with only small streams by $19 billion annually, equivalent to 90 percent of the total annual increase in the western United States after 1940.

scholarly journals Adaptation of Irrigation Infrastructure on Irrigation Demands under Future Drought in the United States*

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianyi Zhang ◽  
Xiaomao Lin ◽  
Danny H. Rogers ◽  
Freddie R. Lamm
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
The United States ◽  
Drought Severity ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Surface Irrigation ◽  
Irrigation Depth ◽  
Unit Reduction ◽  
Irrigation Infrastructure

Abstract More severe droughts in the United States will bring great challenges to irrigation water supply. Here, the authors assessed the potential adaptive effects of irrigation infrastructure under present and more extensive droughts. Based on data over 1985–2005, this study established a statistical model that suggests around 4.4% more irrigation was applied in response to a one-unit reduction in the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), and approximately 5.0% of irrigation water application could be saved for each 10% decrease in the areas supplied by surface irrigation infrastructure. Based on the results, the model-projected irrigation infrastructure has played a greater role in changes in irrigation than drought in most areas under the current climate except some southwestern counties. However, under the predicted future more severe drought in 2080–99 under the representative concentration pathways 4.5 scenario, the model projected that the drought will require 0%–20% greater irrigation amounts assuming the current irrigation efficiency. Under the predicted drought scenario, irrigation depth can be maintained at or below the baseline level in the western United States only when better irrigation infrastructure replaced 40% of the current surface irrigation infrastructure areas. In the northeast United States, limited changes in irrigation depth were predicted under different irrigation infrastructure scenarios because the percentage of surface irrigation area is already low under the baseline climate, and thus there is limited opportunity to adapt to future drought with advanced irrigation infrastructure. These results indicate that other effective solutions are required to complement these measures and aid U.S. agriculture in the future, more extensive drought.

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