• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.331-344
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• 2009

Buffalograss is an important turfgrass species with excellent cold, heat, and drought tolerance. Understanding the physiological integration of buffalograss under heterogeneous conditions helps to develop cultural practices that better use limited resources for uniform turf quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate physiological integration of buffalograss under water deficit stress and the involvement of lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in the process. In one experiment, buffalograss was planted in the center of a four-compartment growth unit. Watering frequencies, once a week(+) and once in two weeks(-), were combined with the sand(S) or peat(P) in each unit to generate five total treatments(P+S-P-S+, P+P+P+P+, S-S-S-S-, P-P-P-P-, and S+S+S+S+). The average number of shoot established from the heterogeneous root-zone medium was higher than the average of four possible homogeneous media. In second experiment, single ramet in Hoagland solution($S_0$) or single ramet in Hoagland solution with 20% PEG-6000($S_s$) were compared with two connectedramets under different treatments. Treatments for connected ramets were young ramet in Hoagland solution($Y_{os}$) and old ramet in Hoagland solution with 20% PEG-6000($O_{os}$), and old ramet in Hoagland solution($O_{ys}$) and young ramet in Hoagland solution with 20% PEG-6000($Y_{ys}$). Lipid peroxidation, antioxidants, and proline showedphysiological integration between ramets subjected to different levels of water stress. Superoxide dismutase(SOD), Guaiacol peroxidase(G-POD), malondialdehyde(MDA), and free proline also showed different time courses and relative activities during the physiological integration.