Effects of cadmium stress on physiological characteristics of resilience in Festuca arundinacea L. and Agrostis stolonifera L.

Festuca arundinacea L. and Agrostis stolonifera L. are two kinds of high-quality turfgrass. In this study, different concentrations of cadmium (Cd) solution (0, 150, 300 mmol/L) were used to test the effects of Cd on growth rate, photosynthesis efficiency, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and antioxidant enzyme activities in one-month-old F. arundinacea L. 'Fana' and A. stolonifera L. 'Tiger'. Results showed that under Cd stress, canopy height, chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll fluorescence were significantly lower in F. arundinacea and A. stolonifera than in the control. However, MDA content, soluble protein content, and catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the leaves of F. arundinacea and A. stolonifera were significantly higher than those in the control under Cd stress and increased with the increase in Cd concentration. After calculating the Cd toxicity coefficient with reference to the salinity coefficient of plants, the toxicity coefficients of 300 mmol/L Cd stress on growth, photosynthesis, MDA content, and antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly lower in F. arundinacea than in A. stolonifera, indicating that Cd tolerance was higher in F. arundinacea than in A. stolonifera. These results provide a theoretical basis for the selection of resistant turfgrass species.