Abstract

STUDES ON THE ACTIVITY OF ANTIOXIDATIVE ENZYMES IN PORTULACA OLERACEA L. AND VIGNA ACONITIFOLIA (JACQ.) MARECHAL AS INFLUENCED BY CARBONATE SALTS.

Nirmala S. Pati* and B. A. Karadge

ABSTRACT

Soil salinity and alkalinity are common restraints to crop productivity in arid and semi arid regions. Saline and alkaline soils frequently cooccur in nature, but very few studies focus on the effects of various alkali stresses on plants. A study quantifying effect of carbonates salts (sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate and ammonium carbonate) on the activity of some antioxidative enzymes catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and superoxide dismutase in the roots and leaves of Portulaca oleracea and Vigna aconitifolia grown under sand culture conditions was conducted. Results showed that the activity of all these enzymes increased under carbonate stress. This might have helped the plants to improve carbonate stress tolerance in both the plants.

Keywords: Bicarbonate, Carbonate, Alkalinity, Portulaca, Vigna.