Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Punjab, 64200, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan.
Environ Monit Assess. 2023 Oct 24;195(11):1363. doi: 10.1007/s10661-023-11982-4.
Withania coagulans is a valuable medicinal plant with high demand, but its wild growth and local usage pose a threat to its natural habitat. This study aims to understand the plant's growth, anatomy, and physiology in different environmental conditions to aid in conservation and re-vegetation efforts. Fifteen differently adapted populations of Withania coagulans were collected from diverse ecological regions, viz., (i) along the roadside, (ii) hilly areas, (iii) barren land, and (iv) wasteland to unravel the adaptive mechanisms that are responsible for their ecological success across heterogenic environments of Punjab, Pakistan. The roadside populations had high values of photosynthetic pigments, total soluble proteins, root endodermis thickness, stem and leaf cortical thickness, and its cell area. The populations growing in hilly areas showed better growth performance such as vigorous growth and biomass production. Additionally, there was enhanced accumulation of organic osmolytes (glycine betaine and proline), chlorophyll content (chl a/b), and enlarged epidermal cells, cortical cells, vascular bundles, metaxylem vessels, and phloem region in roots. In case of stem area, epidermal thickness, cortical thickness, vascular bundle, and pith area showed improved growth. However, the barren land population showed significant increase in carotenoid contents, vascular bundle area, and metaxylem area in roots, and xylem vessels and phloem area in stems and leaves. The wasteland population surpassed the rest of the populations in having greater root dry weight, higher shoot ionic contents, increased root area, thick cortical, and vascular bundle area in roots. Likewise, cortical thickness and its cell area, and pith area in stems, whereas large vascular bundles, phloem region, and high stomatal density were recorded in leaves. Subsequently, natural populations showed the utmost behavior related to tissue organization and physiology in response to varied environmental conditions that would increase the distribution and survival of species.
印度麻是一种具有高需求的有价值药用植物，但它的野生生长和当地使用对其自然栖息地构成了威胁。本研究旨在了解植物在不同环境条件下的生长、解剖和生理，以帮助保护和重新造林。从巴基斯坦旁遮普不同的生态区收集了 15 个适应不同环境的印度麻种群，分别为：（i）沿路边、（ii）丘陵地区、（iii）荒地和（iv）废弃地，以揭示导致其在巴基斯坦旁遮普异质环境中成功适应的适应机制。路边种群的光合色素、总可溶性蛋白质、根内皮层厚度、茎和叶皮质厚度及其细胞面积均较高。在丘陵地区生长的种群表现出更好的生长性能，如生长旺盛和生物量产量高。此外，有机渗透物（甜菜碱和脯氨酸）、叶绿素含量（chl a/b）和增大的表皮细胞、皮质细胞、维管束、木质部导管和韧皮部区域在根中得到增强。就茎面积而言，表皮厚度、皮质厚度、维管束和髓面积得到改善。然而，荒地种群在根中表现出类胡萝卜素含量、维管束面积和木质部面积、茎和叶中的木质部导管和韧皮部面积显著增加。荒地种群的根干重、较高的茎叶离子含量、增大的根面积、增厚的皮质和维管束面积都超过了其他种群。同样，茎中的皮质厚度及其细胞面积和髓面积较大，而叶片中的大维管束、韧皮部区域和较高的气孔密度。随后，自然种群表现出与组织器官发生和生理适应相关的最大行为，以应对各种环境条件，从而增加物种的分布和生存。
