Abstract
Naturally adapted populations of a leafy succulent desert halophyte Salsola imbricata were evaluated for growth patterns, and, structural and functional modifications, that ensures their success in highly salt-affected habitats. The populations were collected from five diverse habitats least saline (DWF-Derawar Fort), moderately saline (TWT-Trawaywala Toba and BWD-Bailahwala Dahar), and highly saline (LAS-LadamSir and PAS-Pati Sir) along with rhizospheric soil samples. All population showed very specific modifications, i.e., increased root cross-sectional area, epidermal and endodermal thickness, sclerification in cortical and stellar region, proportion of storage parenchyma, and widened metaxylem vessels at root level. Decreased phloem area, pith thickness, and cell area and increased stem cross-sectional area, epidermal thickness, sclerification in vascular bundles, cortical region thickness, and enlarge metaxylem vessels was recorded in stems. Leaf modifications included increased leaf thickness due to thickened midrib, lamina, epidermis and cortical cells. Contrarily, much reduced vascular bundles, mainly the phloem region, decreased mesophyll thickness, and narrow xylem vessels were observed in leaves. The populations inhabiting highly saline environment showed better growth, salt exclusion, internal structural, and increased uptake of Na+, K+, and Ca2+ in roots and shoots. These strategies of S. imbricata seemed to be evolutionary, which may be evolved in response to environmental adversities over long spanning period.
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Availability of Data and Material
1. The voucher specimens used for plant identification are deposited to the herbarium facility of the Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, and are available for verification on request.
2. Anatomical slides, photographs, and raw data calculated from these photographs are available with primary author and can be requested if needed.
Code Availability
R codes and modeling details are available with authors listed as bio-statisticians under author’s contribution of Declarations section and can be requested if needed.
Abbreviations
- DWF:
-
Derawar Fort (least saline)
- TWT:
-
Traway Wala Toba (moderately saline
- BLD:
-
Bailah Wala Dahar (moderately saline)
- LAS:
-
Ladam Sir (highly saline)
- PAS:
-
Pati Sir (highly saline
- SP:
-
Saturation percentage
- MC:
-
Moisture contents
- OM:
-
Organic matter
- pH:
-
Note: This data is mandatory
- ECe:
-
Electrical conductivity
- TSS:
-
Total soluble salts
- SAR:
-
Sodium adsorption ratio
- OsP:
-
Osmotic potential
- Na:
-
Soil Na+
- K:
-
Soil K+
- Ca:
-
Soil Ca2+
- Mg:
-
Soil Mg2+
- Cl:
-
Soil Cl–
- NO3:
-
Soil NO3–
- PO4:
-
Soil PO43
- SL:
-
Shoot length
- RL:
-
Root length
- LN:
-
Leaf number
- TLA:
-
Total leaf area
- SFW:
-
Fresh shoot weight
- RFW:
-
Fresh root weight
- SDW:
-
Dry shoot weight
- RDW:
-
Dry root weight
- RC:
-
Relative cover
- RF:
-
Relative frequency
- RD:
-
Relative density
- IV:
-
Importance value
- SNa:
-
Shoot Na+
- RNa:
-
Root Na+
- SK:
-
Shoot K+
- RK:
-
Root K+
- SCa:
-
Shoot Ca2+
- RCa:
-
Root Ca2+
- SCl:
-
Shoot Cl–
- RCl:
-
Root Cl–
- SMg:
-
Shoot Mg2+
- RMg:
-
Root Mg2+
- SNO3:
-
Shoot NO3–
- RNO3:
-
Root NO3–
- SPO4:
-
Shoot PO43–
- RPO4:
-
Root PO43
- LNa:
-
Excreted Na+
- LCl:
-
Excreted Cl–
- LCa:
-
Excreted Ca2+
- LK:
-
Excreted K+
- LMg:
-
Excreted Mg2+
- LPO4:
-
Excreted PO43–
- LNO3:
-
Excreted NO3
- RtA:
-
Root area
- RET:
-
Root epidermal thickness
- RST:
-
Root sclerenchyma thickness
- RCT:
-
Root cortical thickness
- RCCA:
-
Root cortical cell area
- REnT:
-
Root endodermal thickness
- RMA:
-
Root metaxylem area
- RPA:
-
Root phloem area
- RPD:
-
Root pith diameter
- RPCA:
-
Root pith cell area
- StA:
-
Stem area
- SET:
-
Stem epidermal thickness
- SST:
-
Stem sclerenchyma thickness
- SCT:
-
Stem cortical thickness
- SCCA:
-
Stem cortical cell area
- SMA:
-
Stem metaxylem area
- SPA:
-
Stem phloem area
- SPT:
-
Stem pith thickness
- SPCA:
-
Stem pith cell area
- MrbT:
-
Midrib thickness
- LMT:
-
Lamina thickness
- ET:
-
Epidermal thickness
- CCA:
-
Cortical cell area
- MesT:
-
Mesophyll thickness
- VBA:
-
Vascular bundles area
- MA:
-
Metaxylem area
- PA:
-
Phloem area
- ECD:
-
Epidermal cell density
- ECA:
-
Epidermal cell area
- SD:
-
Stomatal density
- SA:
-
Stomatal area
- SGD:
-
Salt glands density
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This manuscript has been derived from MPhil Thesis of the first author
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Nargis Naz: principal student who carried but the experimental work.
Mansoor Hameed: principal supervisor of first author.
Farooq Ahmad, Iftikhar Ahmad, Muhammad Ashraf: members of the research team who supervised research planning and collection of plant material and soil samples.
Muhammad Sajid Aqeel Ahmad, Muhammad Kaleem: bio-statistician; data visualization, modeling and interpretation.
Sana Fatima, Hina Shahid, Ummar Iqbal, Syed Mohsan Raza Shah: research execution, biochemical analysis, anatomical photography, and data collection.
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Naz, N., Fatima, S., Hameed, M. et al. Modulation in Plant Micro-structures Through Soil Physicochemical Properties Determines Survival of Salsola imbricata Forssk. in Hypersaline Environments. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 22, 861–881 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00697-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00697-5