Water Stress Tolerance of Six Rangeland Grasses in the Kenyan Semi-arid Rangelands
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Date
2015Author
Kipchirchir, Koech O
Ngugi, Kinuthia R
Mwangi, Mureithi S
Njomo, Karuku G
Wanjogu, Raphael
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This study evaluated six grass species in terms of water stress responses by visual quality and living ground cover
attributes and the recovery responses post water stress grown at 80, 50, 30% field capacity soil moisture contents. The grass
species evaluated were Chloris roxburghiana, Eragrostis superba, Enteropogon macrostachyus, Cenchrus ciliaris, Chloris
gayana, and Sorghum sudanense. The grasses demonstrated varied levels of water stress tolerance as evaluated by quality
ratings based on colour (greenness) and uniformity of colour, leaf firing, living matter and wilting signs. All species declined in
visual quality rating with prolonged water stress treatment with exception of Sorghum sudanense and Cenchrus ciliaris that
had better quality ratings of six after 42 days water stress period. Sorghum sudanense, Chloris gayana and Cenchrus ciliaris
had accelerated recovery in quality, attaining a visual rating of eight at 21 days of water stress period. The three soil moisture
content treatments had higher quality ratings than rainfed conditions which represented water deficit. Sorghum sudanense and
Chloris gayana had higher quality ratings and water use efficiency under rainfed compared to the other species. All the grasses
showed higher living ground cover greater than 40% at recovery period of 28 days, when irrigation was resumed at the
prescribed level, and attained living cover of over 60% by day 42. Sorghum sudanense, Chloris gayana and Cenchrus ciliaris
were able to withstand water stress longer and had also a quick recovery among the six grasses. These three species are
recommended for pasture establishment in semi-arid lands where water supply uncertainties exist, owing to their high tolerance
to water stress.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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