Desert Plants: Biology and Biotechnology

508 Pages·2010·9.08 MB·English

by  Jaya Arora

Desert Plants
K.G. Ramawat
Editor
Desert Plants
Biology and Biotechnology
Editor
Prof.Dr.K.G.Ramawat
M.L.SukhadiaUniversity
DepartmentofBotany
Udaipur313001,India
e-mail:[email protected]
ISBN:978-3-642-02549-5 e-ISBN:978-3-642-02550-1
DOI10.1007/978-3-642-02550-1
SpringerHeidelbergDordrechtLondonNewYork
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Preface
Desertsappearveryfascinatingduringourshortvisits.However,thelivesofplants
andanimalsareverydifficultundertheharshclimaticconditionsofhightempera-
tureandscant watersupplyindeserts,sometimesassociatedwithhigh concentra-
tions of salt. The editor of this book was born and brought up in the Great Indian
Desert,andhasspentmuchofhislifestudyingthegrowthandmetabolismofdesert
plants.Itisverycharmingonacoolsummereveningtositatthetopofasanddune
listening only to blowing air and nothing else. It has been my dream to prepare a
volume on desert plants encompassing various aspects of desert plant biology. In
this book, I have tried to present functional and useful aspects of the vegetation
resourcesofdesertsalongwithscientificinputaimedatunderstandingandimprov-
ingthe utilityofthese plants. The scant vegetationofdeserts supports animal life
andprovidesmanyusefulmedicines,timberandfuelwoodforhumans.Therefore,
there are chapters devoted to medicinal plants (Chap. 1), halophytes (Chaps. 13,
14), and fruit plants (Chaps. 17, 20). Desert plants have a unique reproductive
biology (Chaps. 9–11), well-adapted eco-physiological and anatomical character-
istics(Chap.7),andspecialisedmetabolismandsurvivalabilities.Theseplantsare
difficult to propagate and pose many problems to researchers developing biotech-
nologicalapproachesfortheiramelioration(Chaps.18–20).Coveringalltheabove
aspects, this book provides an excellent amalgam of the morphology, physiology
andbiotechnologyofdesertplants.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge my contributors, who have made serious
efforts toensurehigh scientific qualityofthe book. Ialsowould liketothankmy
colleaguesatSpringer.
October2009 K.G.Ramawat
v
Contents
Part A General Biology
1 Biodiversity, Biology and Conservation of Medicinal Plants
of the Thar Desert
Jaya Arora, Shaily Goyal, and Kishan Gopal Ramawat
1.1 Introduction .......................................................... 3
1.2 Deserts of the World ................................................. 4
1.2.1 The Thar Desert ............................................... 4
1.2.2 Climate ......................................................... 5
1.2.3 Topographical Features ....................................... 5
1.2.4 Phytogeography ................................................ 5
1.3 Ethnobotanical Studies ............................................... 6
1.4 Biology of Desert Plants ............................................. 6
1.5 Medicinal and Biological Activities .................................. 7
1.6 Methods of Propagation ........................................... 16
1.7 Biotechnological Approaches ...................................... 19
1.8 Conclusions ......................................................... 23
References ................................................................... 23
2 Potentiality of Hydrocarbon Yielding Plants for Future
Energy and Chemicals
Dipul Kalita
2.1 Introduction ........................................................ 37
2.2 Screening and Processing of Biomass for Bio-Crude .............. 39
2.3 Extraction and Characterisation of Plant Extracts ................ 42
2.4 Processing of Bio-Crude for Hydrocarbon ........................ 45
2.5 Current Research in India .......................................... 47
2.6 The Economics of Plant Hydrocarbon Production ............... 48
2.7 Research at NEIST Jorhat ......................................... 49
2.8 Conclusion .......................................................... 51
References ................................................................... 53
vii
viii Contents
3 Biology and Biotechnological Advances in Jatropha curcas –
a Biodiesel Plant
Muppala P. Reddy and D.V.N. Sudheer Pamidimarri
3.1 Introduction ........................................................ 58
3.2 Jatropha curcas – a Biodiesel Plant ................................ 58
3.2.1 J. curcas as Folk Medicine ................................... 59
3.2.2 J. curcas Seed Cake as Fertiliser ............................. 59
3.2.3 Other Uses of J. curcas ....................................... 60
3.2.4 Toxicity of J. curcas .......................................... 60
3.3 Genetic Diversity and Phylogenetics of Jatropha Species ......... 60
3.3.1 Intraspecific Genetic Diversity in J. curcas .................. 62
3.3.2 Markers for Toxic and Non-Toxic Varieties of
J. curcas ....................................................... 64
3.4 Tissue Culture and Genetic Transformation ...................... 64
3.4.1 In Vitro Micropropagation of Jatropha ..................... 65
3.4.2 Genetic Transformation Studies ............................. 65
3.5 Conclusions and Prospects ......................................... 67
References ................................................................... 67
4 Biology of Annual Plants in Arid and Semi-Arid Desert Regions
of China
Xuehua Li
4.1 Introduction ........................................................ 73
4.2 Species Diversity and Distribution Characteristics ................ 74
4.2.1 Annual Plants in the Alashan Desert
of Inner Mongolia ............................................ 75
4.2.2 Ephemeral Plants in the Gurbanturggut Desert of
Xingjiang ...................................................... 75
4.3 Seed Germination Traits and Strategies ........................... 76
4.3.1 Seed Germination Traits and Process ........................ 76
4.3.2 Seed Germination Strategies and Adaptability
to Different Environments ................................... 78
4.4 Soil Seed Bank and its Relationship to Vegetation ............... 80
4.4.1 Study Status of Soil Seed Banks in Deserts ................. 80
4.4.2 Proportion of Annual Species in Soil Seed Banks .......... 81
4.4.3 Temporal and Spatial Patterns of Soil Seed Banks ......... 82
4.4.4 Relationship of Soil Seed Banks to Aboveground
Vegetation ..................................................... 84
4.5 Population Competition and Environmental Effects .............. 85
4.6 Effects of Animals on Annual Species ............................. 85
4.7 Conclusion .......................................................... 85
References ................................................................... 86
Contents ix
5 Soil Biology in Traditional Agroforestry Systems
of the Indian Desert
S. Sundaramoorthy, Santosh Kumar Mehar,
and Manohar Singh Suthar
5.1 Introduction ........................................................ 92
5.2 Agroforestry in Western Rajasthan ................................ 92
5.2.1 Desert Soils ................................................... 93
5.3 Soil Fertility ......................................................... 94
5.4 Nature of the Organic Matter ...................................... 96
5.5 Litter Decomposition ............................................... 98
5.6 Microorganisms .................................................... 101
5.7 Soil Enzymes ....................................................... 104
5.8 Microcosm Experiment–Drying and Wetting .................... 104
References .................................................................. 113
6 Aspects of Mycorrhizae in Desert Plants
Martha E. Apple
6.1 Introduction ....................................................... 121
6.1.1 Deserts ..................................................... 121
6.1.2 Mycorrhizae ................................................ 122
6.1.3 Mycorrhizal Fungi ......................................... 122
6.1.4 Taxonomy of Desert Mycorrhizal Fungi ................. 123
6.1.5 Initiation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbioses ......... 124
6.2 Economics, Agriculture, and Mycorrhizae in the Desert ........ 124
6.2.1 Disease Resistance ......................................... 125
6.2.2 Endemic Mycorrhizal Plants as Food ..................... 125
6.3 Water .............................................................. 125
6.4 Ecological Considerations ........................................ 126
6.4.1 Succession .................................................. 126
6.4.2 Physiognomy and Mycorrhizae ........................... 126
6.4.3 Seedling Establishment .................................... 127
6.4.4 Phenology .................................................. 127
6.4.5 Salinity ..................................................... 128
6.5 Mycorrhizal Helper Bacteria ..................................... 128
6.5.1 Ectomycorrhizal Associated Bacteria ..................... 129
6.6 Glomalin .......................................................... 130
6.6.1 Glomalin and Agriculture ................................. 130
6.6.2 Glomalin, Ecosystems, and Carbon ....................... 130
6.7 Conclusion ........................................................ 131
References .................................................................. 131
7 Anatomical Variations in the Woody Plants of Arid Areas
Shumin Yang, Ikuo Furukawa, and Zehui Jiang
7.1 Introduction ....................................................... 136
7.2 Materials and Methods ............................................ 137
x Contents
7.2.1 Site Description ............................................. 137
7.2.2 Methods ..................................................... 137
7.3 Results ............................................................. 139
7.3.1 Wood Anatomical Variation in Secondary
Xylem Cells ................................................. 139
7.3.2 Ecological Perspectives on the Variations in
Wood Anatomy ............................................. 145
7.3.3 Horizontal Variations in Vessel Element Length
and Fibre Length ........................................... 147
7.4 Discussion and Conclusions ....................................... 148
7.4.1 Comparison of Wood Anatomy and Diagnostic
Value ........................................................ 148
7.4.2 Ecological Wood Anatomy Perspectives
and Significant Functions .................................. 150
7.4.3 Horizontal Variations in Vessel Element Length
and Fibre Length ........................................... 152
References .................................................................. 153
8 Diversity and Conservation in the Cactus Family
Pablo Ortega-Baes, Silvia Su¨hring, Jesu´s Sajama, Ezequiel Sotola,
Mariana Alonso-Pedano, Silvia Bravo, and He´ctor God´ınez-Alvarez
8.1 Introduction ....................................................... 157
8.2 Taxonomic Diversity .............................................. 159
8.3 Diversity Patterns on a Global Scale ............................. 160
8.4 Factors Explaining Cactus Diversity .............................. 161
8.5 Threatened Species ................................................ 165
8.6 Conservation Strategies ........................................... 168
8.7 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 170
References .................................................................. 171
Part B Reproductive Biology
9 Reproductive Biology of Some Gum-Producing Indian
Desert Plants
Rajesh Tandon, K.R. Shivanna, and H.Y. Mohan Ram
9.1 Introduction ....................................................... 178
9.2 Gum and Gum-Resin Yielding Plants ............................ 179
9.3 Phenology .......................................................... 179
9.4 Floral Morphology and Sexuality ................................ 180
9.4.1 Trioecy ...................................................... 182
9.4.2 Cryptic Monoecy ........................................... 183
9.5 Pollination Biology ................................................ 184
Contents xi
9.6 Breeding System ................................................... 187
9.6.1 Late-Acting Self-Incompatibility ........................... 187
9.6.2 Apomixis .................................................... 189
9.7 Pollination Efficiency and Fruit Set .............................. 189
9.8 Seed Germination and Seedling Establishment ................... 190
9.9 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 192
References .................................................................. 194
10 Reproductive Biology of Cactaceae
Mar´ıa del Carmen Mandujano, Israel Carrillo-Angeles,
Concepcio´n Mart´ınez-Peralta, and Jordan Golubov
10.1 Introduction ..................................................... 198
10.2 The Cactus Family .............................................. 200
10.2.1 Evolution and Systematics .............................. 200
10.2.2 The Cactus Flower ...................................... 201
10.3 Breeding Systems ................................................ 202
10.3.1 Self Incompatibility ...................................... 213
10.4 Mating Systems .................................................. 215
10.4.1 Inbreeding Depression .................................. 219
10.5 Pollination Syndromes .......................................... 220
10.6 Clonal Reproduction ............................................ 221
10.7 Genetic Diversity ................................................ 222
10.8 Conclusions ...................................................... 223
References ................................................................. 224
11 Parthenocarpy and Seed Production in Burseraceae
Mar´ıa F. Ramos-Ordon˜ez, Judith Ma´rquez-Guzma´n, and
Ma. del Coro Arizmendi
11.1 Introduction ..................................................... 231
11.2 Parthenocarpy ................................................... 232
11.3 Parthenocarpy in Burseraceae .................................. 233
11.4 Bursera morelensis ............................................... 234
11.5 Fruit Crop by B. morelensis .................................... 235
References ................................................................. 237
Part C Ecophysiological Studies
12 Photosynthesis of C Desert Plants
4
Peixi Su
12.1 Introduction ..................................................... 244
12.2 Photosynthetic Structure of Assimilating Organs .............. 245
12.2.1 Photosynthetic Structure of Assimilating Shoots
of Haloxylon ammodendron and Calligonum
mongolicum .............................................. 245