2010-11 Deliverables
Task 5 Research
Principal Investigator(s): Genhua Niu
We mutually agree for Genhua Niu to deliver the following during the period of July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 using funds from the Rio Grande Basin Initiative:
- Evaluate the drought tolerance of selected Earth-Kind roses. Drought tolerant garden roses are needed in arid and semi-arid regions where irrigation water is scarce. Selected rose cultivars will be grown in plastic containers in the greenhouse. Plants will be well watered or drought stressed. Plants will be evaluated by quantifying the growth, visual quality, and physiological responses. The relative drought tolerance of selected roses will be assessed. This information will help commercial growers and the public select drought tolerant rose varieties.
- Evaluate salt tolerance of selected Earth-Kind rose varieties. Soil salinization is already a problem in the Far West Texas and the Southwest. Irrigation with marginal or low quality water would exacerbate the soil salinity problem. Rose is one of the most popular landscape plants in the world. Therefore, this study will examine the responses of rose cultivars irrigated with saline solutions at various salinity levels. Relative salt tolerance of different cultivars will be assessed according to their growth, visual quality, and physiological responses. This information will help commercial growers and the public select salt tolerant rose varieties.
- Evaluate the drought and salt tolerance of selected native wildflowers. Native wildflowers are appropriate plants for water-conserving landscapes because of low maintenance including less application of fertilizer, pesticides and water. However, information on drought and salt tolerance is not available. This study will examine the performance of selected wildflowers under saline and water stressed conditions. Plant performance will be evaluated according to their growth, visual quality under water-stressed conditions, and physiological responses.
- Information Transfer Activities and Publications. Results will be published through technical reports and peer reviewed journals, and discussed with local and regional stakeholders for outreach. Oral or poster presentations will be delivered at professional and regional meetings. Appropriate fact sheets or guidelines will be prepared for extension personnel on drought and salt tolerance of tested plant species and their irrigation recommendations.