METABOLIC ADJUSTMENT STRATEGY IN TWO NON-SUCCULENT XEROPHYTIC SPECIES GROWING UNDER DROUGHT CONDITIONS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Botany Dept., Faculty of Science, (Girls Branch) Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

2 Desert Research Center, Mataria, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

The present work was designed to study ecophysiological responses of two non-succulent xerophytes, Launaea spinosa and Leptadenia pyrotechnica growing naturally in wadi Hagul, estern desert of Egypt during dry and wet seasons.  The results revealed that organic constituents including, crude protein, free amino acids and nucleic acids were generally increased during wet season in the studied species.  However, soluble protein, was significantly higher during dry season. Concentrations of protein amino acids, at both seasons of  Launaea spinosa were greater than that of Leptadenia pyrotechnica. Electrophoretic protein fractions showed variations due to  the differences in growing seasons.