Structural Adaptation of Deverra tortuosa (Desf.) DC. to Its Natural Habitats in Egypt | ||||
Egyptian Journal of Botany | ||||
Article 23, Volume 61, Issue 3, December 2021, Page 781-794 PDF (4.71 MB) | ||||
Document Type: Regular issue (Original Article) | ||||
DOI: 10.21608/ejbo.2021.41821.1554 | ||||
View on SCiNiTO | ||||
Authors | ||||
Dalia F. Slima1; Zaki A. Turki1; Haifa’a A. Alhobishi2; Dalia A. Ahmed 3 | ||||
1Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt | ||||
2Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Ibb University, Yemen | ||||
3Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, 31527, Tanta, Egypt | ||||
Abstract | ||||
DEVERRA tortuosa (Desf.) DC. is a common medicinal, grazing, and salt-tolerant desert plant that can grow in a variety of habitats. The current study aims to detect anatomical adaptation to stress factors in different organs of the D.tortuosa plant (salinity, and drought). The plant was collected in Egypt from 17 different locations representing seven different habitats (sand dunes, sand flats, salt marshes, wadi bed & slope, roadsides and cultivated lands). The effect of soil factors (soil texture, pH, EC, and organic matter) on the anatomical features of various plant organs (root, stem, and leaf) was investigated. Variations in plant anatomical features were observed in response to significant differences in soil parameters (EC, organic carbon, and ionic content) between desert habitats. According to CCA analysis, periderm thickness is correlated with changes in ion concentrations (Ca+2, K+, and Na+), whereas cortex width is correlated with changes in pH and organic matter content in roots. Meanwhile, the degree of salinity in the habitats is correlated with sclerification in the stem and the widest chlorenchyma cells. Thick epidermis and a large xylem area are required for salt excretion in leaf development, and water conservation is related to changes in moisture content. Reducing plant water loss in the studied desert habitats could explain D. tortuosa’s successful growth and survival under such harsh conditions. | ||||
Keywords | ||||
Anatomical adaptation; Deverra tortuosa; Drought; Edaphic factors; Natural habitats; Salinity | ||||
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