Does Phosphorus Fertilization Increase Biomass Production and Salinity Tolerance of Blue Panicum (Panicum antidotale Retz.) in the Salt-Affected Soils of Arid Regions?

High soil salinity, drought, and poor fertility, especially phosphorus (P) deficiency, are serious challenges for crop production in arid desert climate regions. In these regions, irrigation water (mostly groundwater) is saline, fertilization one of the strategies used to cope with salinity stress. Crop livestock major agricultural activities marginal blue panicum (Panicum antidotale Retz.), perennial forage grass, has potential furnish demand. Thus, a field experiment testing combination three levels P rate was carried out evaluate fertilizer enhance yield tolerance grass. The conducted two years between 2019 2020 Foum el Oued, Laayoune, Morocco. It implemented split-plot design replications considering as main plot rates sub-plot treatments. evaluated were 0, 90, 108 kg P2O5 ha?1 (P1, P2, P3, respectively), salinities 5, 12, 17 dS·m?1. results revealed that increasing significantly decreased biomass stomatal conductance panicum. Increasing from 5 12 dS·m?1 fresh by 20 29%, respectively. Irrigation also (p < 0.05) leaf N, P, K, Ca, Zn concentration. However, supplementation enhanced mainly improving OM, Zn, Fe content. at increased 27%, 32%, 19% under dS·m?1, Considering yield, application can be suggested saline drylands. recommended reduce adverse effects high on growth productivity improve salt-affected