Which statement about salinity tolerance is true?

• A. Warm-season grasses tolerate salinity better than cool-season grasses.
• B. Cool-season grasses tolerate salinity better than warm-season grasses.
• C. Salinity tolerance is identical among all listed grasses.
• D. No grasses tolerate salinity.

Answer: (A)

Salinity tolerance varies by grass type, and warm-season grasses generally handle salty conditions better than cool-season ones. This difference comes from how these grasses cope with salt at the cellular and whole-plant level. Warm-season species often show stronger osmotic adjustment, which helps them maintain water uptake and cell turgor when soil salinity rises. They also tend to regulate ion flow more effectively, either limiting sodium entry or storing ions in ways that reduce toxicity, and some have roots that explore deeper or more vigorously to dilute salts around the root zone. Because of these traits, warm-season grasses such as Bermuda grass or seashore paspalum tend to stay healthier and greener under saline conditions compared with cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass or tall fescue. So, the statement that warm-season grasses tolerate salinity better is the true one.