Evaluation of ornamental groundcovers on physiological and quality parameters in salt affected soil condition

Abstract

An experiment was performed to study the salinity tolerance of groundcovers under open field condition, on basis of physiological and quality parameters. Ten groundcovers were evaluated by physiological parameters viz., dry weight, proline content and quality parameters viz., scoring for aesthetic value and cost of establishment. Dry weight is associated with the growth rate of a groundcover species. In the present study, the groundcover species Wedelia trilobata (13.50g) and Syngonium podophyllum (12.80g) has recorded the highest dry weight, in proline content highest proline content recorded in Wedelia trilobata (4.75mg g-1) followed by Portulaca grandiflora (4.62 mg g-1) and scoring for aesthetic values maximum recorded in Portulaca grandiflora (65%), followed by Wedelia trilobata (60%) and cost of establishment, the lowest cost recorded in Portulaca grandiflora and Wedelia trilobata (Rs 90m-2) compared to remaining groundcovers. Among the ten groundcover species, Wedelia trilobata and Portulaca grandiflora has shown high salinity tolerance and low cost groundcovers.