The feasibility study of Festuca Ovina cultivation for improving saline and polluted rangelands

Investigating the effect of environmental factors on the yield of forage plants is one of the necessities for improvement, rehabilitation, and development of rangelands. Festuca ovina is of perennial grasses. This species is found to be abundant in the semi-steppe rangelands of the country due to its adaptability to dehydration and low temperatures of -20 ° C. This rangeland species plays an important role in providing forage, soil stabilization, erosion prevention, and soil conservation in semi steppe rangelands. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of salinity and pollutant factors on the performance of Festuca ovina. This experiment was conducted in greenhouse conditions in a factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design under the influence of the first factor of copper oxide treatment at two levels (50 and 100 mg / l), copper nano-oxide at two levels (50 and 100 mg / l), and control treatment, and the second factor of sodium chloride treatment at three levels (0, 200 and 400 mM) in five replicates on Festuca ovina in a hydroponic greenhouse. After two months of stress, changes in chlorophyll, potassium and air length were measured. Data were analyzed using a factorial experimental design and SNK multiple range test in SPSS.18 software. According to the results of this study, the Festuca ovina species, in addition to the ability to establish and grow in each of the conditions of salinity and pollutant stress, has the ability to establish in both conditions (salinity + pollutant). Therefore, it can be of particular interest to planners, managers of natural resources and the environment and recommended as a consistent species to improve the rangelands of these regions.