Leaf Age, Canopy Position, and Habitat Affect the Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Water-Use Efficiency in Three C3 Leguminous Prosopis Species from a Hyper-Arid Climate

Abstract

The present study involved measurements of the stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) of three C3 leguminous Prosopis spp. (P. juliflora, P. cineraria, and P. pallida) foliage at different canopy positions (east and west) from saline (SLH) and non-saline habitats (NSH). Integrated measurements of the stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of plant tissue were broadly used to study iWUE, taking into consideration the effect of leaf age and canopy position on C isotope discrimination. Mature foliage of P. pallida from an SLH with a west canopy position had significantly higher δ13C (less negative) than that from NSH. On the west side, Δ13C values ranged from 17.8‰ (P. pallida) to 22.31‰ (P. juliflora) for a west canopy position, while they varied from 18.05‰ (P. pallida) to 22.4‰ (P. cineraria) on the east canopy side. Because the patterns are similar for the three Prosopis species, the difference in carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) between the canopy position (west and east) is relatively consistent among species and sites, ranging between 17.8 ± 4.43‰ for the young foliage in the west and 18.05 ± 4.35‰ for the east canopy position. The iWUE of P. pallida was twice that of P. cineraria. The iWUE of P. juliflora was higher from NSH than SLH. Mature leaves possessed a higher iWUE than the young leaves. We concluded that exotic P. juliflora and P. pallida have higher iWUE values than the native P. cineraria, which might be due to the rapid below-ground development of plant roots in the Arabian deserts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This could enable the alien species access to deeper humid soil layers or water resources.

Agro-Morphological, Yield and Quality Traits and Interrelationship with Yield Stability in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Genotypes under Saline Marginal Environment

“…It is a typical phenomenon of plants affected by environmental stresses that showed a restricted supply of CO 2 as well as reduced activity of RuBisCO. These processes leads to reduced photosynthesis, carbon assimilation, growth and yield of the plants [ 16 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ]. Previously published data showed that the small panicle length, chlorophyll concentrations, number of productive tillers, and lower number of primary branches per panicle were responsible factors in the low yield of quinoa [ 45 ].…”

Allelopathic Potential of Aqueous Extract from Acacia melanoxylon R. Br. on Lactuca sativa

“…Several authors indicated that it is extremely difficult to separate the growth and physiological secondary effects afrom the primary impacts caused by allelochemicals. However, the secondary impacts led to the disruption of cell differentiation, plant water status, water uptake, respiration, signal transduction, photosynthesis and enzyme function [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 10 , 17 , 26 ].…”

Invasive Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), an Allergy and Health Challenge

“…Prosopis juliflora has typically invaded areas in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula where water table is close to the ground surface, such as gravel deserts, open plains, sand sheets, rivers and flood plains, wadies, and edges of farms [19][20][21][22]. In Saudi Arabia, P. juliflora was reported as a ruderal plant, mostly found inside the urban and suburban areas but also other natural areas on the mainlands and islands of the region and is the most prominent invasive species in majority of lowlands [22].…”