Olga Anatolyevna Chistova

A significant factor contributing to the degradation of turfgrass in urban areas is the use of chloride-sodium anti-icing agents (AIA). Despite extensive research on the salinization of urban soils, studies assessing the impact of sodium chloride on turf grasses are insufficient. This work evaluated the phytotoxicity of the most common grasses used for lawns in Moscow: red fescue (Festuca rubra L.), creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and white clover (Trifolium repens L.), using the laboratory phytotesting method. The plants were exposed for seven days to soil mixtures with sodium chloride concentrations of 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.5% (w.). The observed parameters were «root length of seedlings», «shoot length of seedlings», and «seed germination». The studied species showed different levels of sensitivity to soil salinization, and the study highlighted the importance of simultaneous analysis of various growth and development parameters for making informed decisions on the optimal plant species for urban greening. The greatest differences in phytotoxicity were found in the «root length» parameter at high concentrations of AIA (1.5%) and in the «seed germination» parameter across the entire range of salt contamination. The proposed algorithm for selecting optimal plant species in saline soil conditions suggests starting by analyzing phytotoxicity results based on germination, selecting plants with minimal inhibition of this parameter. Then, among these, choose those that also showed the lowest phytotoxicity in terms of root and shoot length. Based on the results of the study, creeping bentgrass is recommended as a universal salt-tolerant species, along with perennial ryegrass at sodium chloride concentrations of 0.1% and 0.5%.