Which Soil Type Is Optimal for Festuca wagneri, a Species of the Pannonian Region Adapted to Drought?

According to climate projections, the Pannonian region is expected to experience an increasing frequency of drought events. This trend affects not only agricultural areas but also natural grasslands. The Festuca wagneri species, selected for this study, is a dominant and well-adapted grass in dry natural habitats. A total of 54 Festuca wagneri individuals were examined across three soil types: sand, loam, and clay. In each soil type, 18 plants were assessed for drought tolerance. Water was applied at three dosage levels: 200, 300, and 400 mL. The experiment was conducted between 4 April and 18 July 2024, during which the total weight of the pots and the amount of drained water were measured regularly. All data processing and statistical analyses were performed in R version 4.3.2. A three-way factorial ANOVA was used to evaluate main and interaction effects. Model residuals were tested for normality (Shapiro–Wilk test) and homoscedasticity using diagnostic plots. The results showed that Festuca wagneri individuals tolerated even the lowest soil moisture levels induced by low water-holding capacity of the soil and low water input. This indicates that the species can be effectively used in grassland management and restoration under future climate change scenarios. The main differences were observed among soil types, highlighting the crucial importance of soil structure when establishing this species. Loam soils, already near optimal, respond best to moderate.