Vegetos

Abstract

Sesuvium portulacastrum L. (Aizoaceae) is a pioneer, psammophytic associate halophyte of subtropical, Mediterranean regions. It dominates coastal and warmer zones of the world. Apart from being utilized as a vegetable and forage by local people, it is also utilized for bioreclamation of saline soil in the arid and semiarid regions. Coastal soils has poor nitrogen content whereas halophytes which inhabit these areas have high protein content due to the ability to conserve nitrogen and recycle it through their body metabolism. In present investigation, Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) is used as a model system representing an associate halophyte with efficacy in Nitrogen utilization in saline conditions. The plant has adapted to nitrogen stress by evolving efficient nitrogen assimilating isoenzymes. Isoenzymes of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) are separated electrophoretically from the leaves and roots of Sesuvium portulacastrum L. Presence of Isozymes for nitrogen assimilating and distributing enzymes like GDH and AspAT indicates the physiological adaptation of plants growing in saline nitrogen deficient conditions. The same study would be extended to other important enzymes of Nitrogen metabolism to get an insight in efficacy of such halophytes to conserve available Nitrogen from saline soils and help in phytoremediation of saline soils.