Comparison of Photosynthetic Pigment Contents of the Resurrection Plants Ramonda serbica and Ramonda nathaliae of Some Different Populations from Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia

Bekim Gashi, Kasamedin Abdullai, Efigjeni Kongjika

Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Pristina, Pristina, Republic of Kosovo.
Section of Natural and Technical Sciences, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Tirana, Albania.

DOI: 10.4236/ajps.2012.311192                

Abstract

The resurrection plants Ramonda serbica and Ramonda nathaliae are the physiological model plant and endemic species from Balkan Peninsula. Study was carried out to assess the impact of different populations on photosynthetic pigment contents and their effect on physiological activity of these species. The experiment was conducted with leaves of R. serbica collected from nine populations in Kosovo, three in Albania and two in Macedonia, while for R. nathaliae four populations in Macedonia. For this purpose plants after collection from their natural populations were kept for 24 hours at constant temperature and humidity and in natural photoperiod. According to our data the pigment contents (Total chl + Carot) of R. serbica, measured as mg per gram dry weight (DW), were higher (7.06 mg·g^-1 DW) in Radaci populations (Kosovo) and lower (4.63 mg·g^-1 DW) in Jukniu Mountain-Kruja (Albania). On the other hand, the higher (5.28 mg·g^-1 DW) of pigment contents (Total chl + Carot) of R. nathaliae were observed in Vorca populations and the lower (4.24 mg·g^-1 DW) in Kaparll?k populations. Ratio chlorophyll a/b of R. serbica in Kruja Castle populations from Albania was the higher (3.68) comparing with Zhlebi populations from Kosovo (1.68). Similarly in case of R. nathaliae the higher (3.36) value was in Kaparll?k populations and the lower (3.12) in Matka populations. The data obtained were further analyzed using one-way ANOVA and a significant change was recorded in the different populations. These studies clearly indicate that the Ramonda plants from different ecological habitats there have been changes of photosynthetic pigment contents.

Keywords

Resurrection Plants; Physiological Model; Populations; Photosynthetic Pigments

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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