Ecological studies on reseda pruinosa del. growing in Egypt

Abstract EN

Reseda prunes Del., family Resedaceae is an annual herb, collected during spring and summer of 2002 from El-Quesyma, El Arish, and Ageba Matruh.

The soil supporting the plant was sandy loam in texture at the two layers habitat while it was rocky sand at surface layer and sandy loam at bottom layer at Ageba habitat.

Soil salinity at Ageba habitat was relatively higher than that of El-Quesyma habitat.

The soil was slightly alkaline in reaction at both habitats.

Calcium ions were the major component, while magnesium ions were the second major component of the soil at the two habitats.

Calcium, magnesium and sodium ions were higher at the surface and bottom layers at Matruh than that at El-Quesyma habitat.

Sulphate content was higher in soil of Ageba than that of El-Quesyma.

Bicarbonates were the major anion component of the soil at Ageba, while chlorides were the major anion component of the soil of El- Quesyma habitat.

The vegetation analysis at El-Quesyma habitat revealed that the dominant species was Zygophyllum album while, Reseda prunes Del.

represent the 2nd dominant species in spring and 6th dominant species in summer.

Meanwhile, the dominant species at Ageba was Reseda prunes Del in spring and 3rd dominat species in summer.

It was followed by Alhagi maurorum, Artemisia herba Alba, Asphodelus microcarpus and Urginea maritime.

In spring.

Concerning the eco-physiological studies it was found that R.

prunes Del.

stored water in its tissues to overcome the dry weather conditions, where its moisture content was higher at spring than that at summer at the two habitats.

The total soluble and insoluble carbohydrates, total nitrogen and total lipids were slightly higher at Ageba than that at El-Quesyma habitat, where it reached its maximum values during spring and its minimum values during summer at the two studied areas.

The total ash content, acid and water insoluble ash and crude fiber were slightly higher at El-Quesyma than that at Ageba habitats, where it reached its maximum values during summer and its minimum values during spring at the two investigated areas due to the increase in total ion accumulation as a result of increasing soil moisture stress conditions.

Concerning the active constituents it was found that the percentages of total flavonoids, total alkaloids, total saponins and total tannins were higher during spring than summer.

Also it was revealed that the active constituents of the plant were higher at Ageba than that at El-Quesyma habitats.