Effect of silicon supply on root features of tall fescue in different salt concentrations

A pot experiment was conducted to determine the effect of silicon supply on the biomass and the root features of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) seedlings under different salinity conditions. This study showed that the root dry biomass, total surface of roots, root bulk, total length of roots,and average root diameter were decreased, but the root to shoot ratio of tall fescue seedling initially increased and then decreased with an increase in the salt concentration from 0 to 300 mmol·L-1. The contribution of the silicon supply to root biomass and root features was closely related to the salt concentration: the silicon supply significantly increased the root biomass, the total surface of roots, and the total length of roots (P<0.05) when the salt concentration was ≤150 mmol·L-1. These results suggested that silicon supply could improve the adaptation ability of tall fescue in different salinity conditions by the alteration of the root biomass and root features.