| Abstract: | This paper presents the work conducted on the
chemical constituents of some common and widely distributed
halophyte taxa from Cyprus with the aim that these studies will
help in the evaluation of halophytes for different economical
purposes. The plant species of Crithmum maritimum L., Limbarda
crithmoides (L.) Dumort, Atriplex portulacoides L., Salsola kali L.,
Atriplex halimus L., Limonium oleifolium Mill., L. meyeri (Boiss.)
Kuntze; and Tetraena alba (L.f.) Beier & Thulin were collected
in the middle of July. The shoot tissue and leaf samples were
collected from the natural habitats and left for drying under air
circulation followed by placing them in oven at 60 °C for 96
hours. The material was crushed using mortar and pestle and
subjected to an analysis of macro- and micro-nutrients and
biochemical compounds. K+/Na+ in the leaf tissues of the dicot
species showed relatively high values depicting their behavior
as Na+ includes but very low Cl- levels were recorded. Out of
the species investigated here in 4 TFAA content was rather high.
Values ranging from 0.5% to 1% dry weight were exhibited in one
species. However, only 3 species showed very low TFAA values.
Later may be due to low nitrogen availability in their environment.
The phenetic analyses of eight halophyte species performed on
the data matrix using Ntsys-pc program version 2.1 revealed
that, cluster analysis of the overall results obtained here leads to
2 clusters. This discrimination appears to be as a result of their
different abilities to accumulate either proline or glycine betaine. |
