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Osmotic adjustment in three succulent species of Zygophyllaceae
Author(s) -
Kamel M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2007.00823.x
Subject(s) - zygophyllaceae , salinity , botany , biology , osmotic pressure , ecology
Three species, Zygophyllum album L., Z. coccineum L. and Z. simplex L. , from family Zygophyllaceae were collected from two locations in Egypt to study their response to environmental conditions. Organic solutes (amino acids, soluble proteins and soluble sugars) and inorganic solutes (Na + , K + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Cl − , PO 4 3− and SO 4 2− ) were estimated to study their role in osmotic adjustment under the effect of drought and salinity. The study showed that Z. coccineum is most tolerant for drought and salinity than Z. simplex. Z. coccineum was dependent on soluble proteins and soluble sugars, to increase its content of bound water, to undergo water deficit in desert. Z. simplex accumulated inorganic solutes more than Z . coccineum and less organic solutes. Amino acids content increased in Z. coccineum and Z. simplex survived in saline conditions to play a role in osmotic adjustment. Under the effect of salinity, all the studied species showed a tendency and high capacity to accumulate inorganic solutes. The main inorganic salutes were Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ and Cl − . The role of Na + was less than Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ . Z. album and Z. simplex preferred Mg 2+ more than Z. coccineum which preferred Ca 2+ .