PJB-2022-310
Leaf anatomical traits variation, a response to physiological processes; A case study of the Mazri Palm across the Western Himalayan phytogeographic province
Abdullah
Abstract
Leaf anatomical traits play a crucial role in plant adaptation and function in response to a changing environment. To know about the adaptive ecophysiological responses of plant species to their surrounding environment, we assessed leaf cuticular anatomy in Nannorrhops ritchieana (Griff) Aitch palm across different climatic zones of Western Himalayan. We selected Nannorrhops ritchieana for this purpose because it is an excellent predictor and indicator of the present-day climate: distributed in extreme sorts of climatic conditions. We analyzed Nannorrhops ritchieana anatomical traits under the influence of climatic gradients. Our findings revealed that stomatal number, length, width, subsidiary cells length, width, guard cells length, width, pore length and width increase with an increase in precipitation, specific humidity at 2 meters, relative humidity at 2 meters and decreases with an increase in temperature, and wind speed. Epidermal cell number increases with an increase in temperature and wind speed but epidermal cell size decreases. We elucidate that Nannorrhops ritchieana can adapt and survive in a changing environment that complements with maximum precipitation, specific humidity at 2 meters and relative humidity at 2 meters by increasing stomatal number, length, width, subsidiary cells length, width, guard cells length, width, pore length, width and by opening the stomatal pore while in dried areas epidermal cells increased in number and decreased in size. Such anatomical responses lead to higher transpiration rates in moist and humid sorts of climatic conditions while lowering transpiration rates in dried areas to keep water potential constant and safeguard the plant from drought.
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