Abstract
Calotropis procera(Aiton)W.T.Aiton,belonging to the family Apocynaceae,is C3 evergreen plant species in arid and semi-arid areas of the Punjab Province,Pakistan.It grows in a variety of habitats like salt affected and waterlogged area,desert/semi-desert,roadside,wasteland,graveyard,forest,crop field,coastline,and river/canal bank.A total of 12 populations growing in different ecological regions were sampled to evaluate their growth,physio-biochemical,and anatomical responses to specific environmental condition.Population adapted to desert/semi-desert showed vigorous growth(plant height,shoot length,and number of leaves),enhanced photosynthetic level(chlorophyll a,chlorophyll b,carotenoids,and total chlorophyll),and apparent anatomical modifications such as increased stem radius,cuticle thickness,storage parenchyma tissues(cortex and pith),and vascular bundles in stems,while the maximum of midrib and lamina thickness,epidermal cells,cuticle thickness,cortical proportion,abaxial stomatal density,and its area in leaves.There was high plasticity in structural and functional features of these populations,which enable them to survive and tolerate under such hot and dry desert environment.Population of saline areas exhibited very critical modifications to sustain under salt prone environment.At physiological level,it possesses the maximum amount of organic osmolytes(glycine betaine and proline)and antioxidants(superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),and peroxidase(POD)),while at anatomical level,it showed intensive sclerification,large phloem region(inner and outer),pith parenchyma cells,and metaxylem vessels in stems and leaves.The population of dry mountains showed very distinctive features,such as increased shoot ionic contents(K+and Ca2+),collenchyma and sclerenchyma thickness in stems,trichomes size,and numerous small stomata on abaxial surface of leaves.It is concluded that no definite or precise single character can be taken as a yardstick for adjudging the biomass production in this rubber bush weed population.
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