It has been argued that Arundo is more resistant to saline conditions than its competitor Miscanthus. Whilst both energy crops have similar traits and appearances, Arundo has shown higher yields and better survival abilities on multiple occasions. The two plants have been tested again.
The saline tolerance test is done by the University of Debrecen within its Karcagi Research Institute, by utilising a lysimeter. Both the Arundo and Miscanthus plantlets were planted in the spring of 2018, so they are a little over one year old. For the purpose of the saline tolerance test, the plants were irrigated with 600 ppm (mg/l) salty water. To put this number into context, you cannot irrigate crops in Hungary with water that has a 500 ppm salt content. These controlled conditions show that Arundo not only has a higher salt resistance, but has a higher growth speed and willingness.
Miscanthus: Reasons Why You Should Choose Arundo for Green Energy Production Instead
Comparing two non-food bioenergy crops: Arundo and Miscanthus