Growth response and ameliorative effect of a forage plant (Festuca arundinacea) in calcareous saline-sodic soils

2Trade Stock Market Branch of Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economy,63100, Şanliurfa, Turkey. Accepted 12 December, 2011 Saline-sodic soils are characterized by the occurrence of salt and sodium (Na + ) to levels that can adversely affect several soil properties and growth of most crops. In this study, we reported a pot experiment for studying the biomass production, ion accumulation and potential soil ameliorative effects of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) grown under calcareous saline-sodic soil conditions. Seedderived plants of F. arundinacea, were grown in pots filled with three different soils collected from two saline-sodic areas and one non-saline area. Results revealed that F. arundinacea biomass production was reduced under saline-sodic soils almost twice as much as non-saline soil. Herbage Ca