Relationships of Freezing Tolerance and the Contents of Carbohydrates,Proline,Protein in Centipedegrass(Eremochloa ophiuroides(Munro.) Hack.)

In order to clarify the changes in the contents of carbohydrates,proline,soluble protein and their relationships to freezing tolerance of centipedegrass,this research was performed at monthly intervals under naturally cold acclimation from October,2008 to May,2009.The relationships of carbohydrate(total soluble sugars,sucrose,glucose,starch),proline and soluble protein concentrations with LT50(the lethal temperature killing 50% of the plants)of stolons of Eremochloa ophiuroides 'E126' were investigated.Results indicated that the contents of carbohydrates,proline,soluble protein and LT50 had a clear seasonal trend in rhizomes of two warm-season turf-grasses which increased or decreased sharply as temperature dropped in overwintering and decreased or increased gradually along with the rise in temperature in spring.Correlation analysis revealed that freezing tolerance of stolons of Eremochloa ophiuroides 'E126' significantly and positively correlated with the contents of soluble sugars,sucrose,glucose and the ratio of the soluble sugars to starch and was not positively correlated with the contents of proline and soluble protein.