Analele ştiinţifice ale Universităţii “Al. I. Cuza” Iaşi
Tomul LVI, fasc. 1, s. II a. Biologie vegetală, 2010
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE SPONTANEOUS
HERBACEOUS SPECIES WITH ECONOMIC VALUE
ANIŞOARA STRATU* , CLAUDIA BONDAR*, ALEXANDRINA MURARIU*
Abstract. The paper presents the results of determinations of some physiological parameters (water
content, dry matter, total mineral elements, assimilating pigments, cellular liquid concentration) in the
seven spontaneous species with economic value (forage, medicinal and melliferous value).The analyzed
species are characterized by a high content of water and assimilating pigments, a low concentration of
cellular liquid and a good capacity of exploiting the mineral elements of the soils, presented through an
appreciable content of total mineral elements.
Key words: the spontaneous herbaceous species, physiological parameters.
Introduction
The species taken in the study belong to the floristic composition of the natural
mountain meadows, which represent approximately a quarter of the total surface of natural
meadows in the county. They are used through mowing and pasturage and present a special
importance for ensuring the fodder basis in Romania. The meadows present a great floristic
diversity (some species have medicinal and melliferous value), represent a habitat for
different groups of animals, means of preventing and combating the erosion, of improving
the soil fertility and structure. The analyzed species have forage value (6 species),
melliferous (6 species) and medicinal (5 species) [3, 12], reason for which some were
studied more from the biochemical and agronomic [4, 9, 13], phytochemical and
pharmacodynamic [1, 3, 8, 10] point of view; were performed and physiological studies [5,
6, 7, 11].
The paper aims at emphasizing some physiological characteristics in the
spontaneous species with economic value in the pedoclimatic conditions specific to Borca
area (Neamţ county).
Materials and methods
We took in the study seven species belonging to three botanic families (Fabaceae,
Boraginaceae, Plantaginaceae), sampled from a natural meadow from the territory of
Borca commune - Neamţ county, in the summer period of 2007. The climatic data specific
to the area, registered in the summer period of 2007, in Piatra Neamţ meteorological station
emphasize the fact that: the volume of precipitations was higher than of the water lost
through evaporation; the soil was well supplied with water; the air humidity was higher
with 70% and the mean temperature has the value of 18.6oC. The specific climatic
conditions represented a beneficial factor for the appropriate development of the vegetation.
*
„Al. I. Cuza” University, Faculty of Biology, I Carol I Bd., No 20 A, 700506, Iaşi, Romania
51
The biologic material was represented by leaves, flowers/inflorescences and the
stems (at some species - on areas of the stem: stem I - basal; stem II-middle; stem III- peak)
collected from plants found in the flowering phenophase.
We analysed the following physiological parameters: the content of water and dry
substance (gravimetrical method), the cellular liquid (juice) concentration (refractometrical
method), the content of total mineral elements (dry calcination at 4500 C method) [2] and
the content of assimilating pigments (spectro-photometrical method).
Results and discussions
The analyzed species present high water content. On the organs, the water content
registered in the majority of species a value decrease from leaf to stem (figure 1). In some
cases, the water content in the flowers/inflorescences is slightly higher than in the leaves.
On areas of the stem, the water content presents a value decrease from the top to
the basal area, fact justified by their different structures and consistency (figure 2). Echium
vulgare and Symphytum officinale – is noticed through a high degree of hydration of the
tissues from the limb, stem and flower. The majority of analyzed species have profound
roots. Because of the deep rooting and high volume of soil that they occupy, they use the
water reserves from the deep layers of the soil.
The concentration of the cellular juice of the leaves of analyzed species has values
comprised between 5.7-9.1% saccharose (figure 3). The highest values of the cellular juice
concentration are ascertained in Plantago major (9.1% saccharose) – xeromesophytemesophyte species and Symphytum officinale (8.7 % saccharose)- mesohygrophyte species.
We registered lower values in the species Echium vulgare (5.7 % saccharose) –
xeromesophyte and Plantago lanceolata (6.5 % saccharose) – amphylotolerant species
compared to the soil humidity. We ascertain the existence of a positive correlation between
the water content and the concentration of cellular juice.
All the analyzed species present an appreciable content of total mineral elements,
which proves a good capacity of exploiting the nutritive substances in the soil. The leaves
present the highest content of mineral elements, followed in decreasing order by flowers/
inflorescences and stems (figure 4). Regarding the variation of the content of total mineral
elements on areas of the stem, we generally ascertain a value decrease of the content of
total mineral elements from the basal area of the stem to its top (figure5). The highest
values of the content of total mineral elements in all the analyzed organs were registered in
the species from Boraginaceae family. In the species of Trifolium genus the content of
water and total mineral elements decreases in value as follows: T. pannonicum › T. pratense
› T. montanum.
According to Resmeriţă and the collaborators (1973), the T. montanum species is
the second as forage value, after Trifolium pratense; it has a low content of proteins and
high in cellulose but due to their thick stems, the plants are not totally consumed by
animals.
Of the analyzed forms of pigments, the chlorophyll a predominates from the
quantitative point of view in all the analyzed species, followed decreasingly by chlorophyll
b and carotenoidic pigments (figure 6). The ratio chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b has values
comprised between 2.64 and 3.86, which indicates an own rhythm of biosynthesis of the
two types of chlorophylls in each species. In the species of the genus Trifolium the ratio
52
chlorophyll a /chlorophyll b has higher values than 3. The species Trifolium pratense, T.
pannonicum şi Echium vulgare are noticed through high values of the content of total
assimilating pigments, which denotes a more intense metabolic activity.
Conclusions
The specific values of the analyzed physiologic parameters could result from the
interaction between the particularities of species, their ecologic requirements, the morphostructural characteristics of the foliar limb, the climatic factors specific to the analyzed area
and period.
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Explanation of figures
Plate I:
Figure 1. The content of water and dry matter
Figure 2. The content of water and dry matter on areas of the stem
Figure 3. The concentration of the cellular liquid
Plate II:
Figure4. The content of total mineral elements
Figure 5. The content of total mineral elements on areas of the stem
Figure 6. The content of assimilatory pigments
53
ANIŞOARA STRATU and colabs.
PLATE I
Trifolium
pratense
Trifolium
pannonicum
Plantago Plantago Echium vulgare
lanceolata major
flori
limb foliar
tulpină
flori
limb foliar
tulpină
inflorescenţă
limb foliar
limb foliar
Trifolium
montanum
inflorescenţă
inflorescenţă
limb foliar
tulpină
inflorescenţă
limb foliar
stems
leaves
inflorescences
dry matter
stems
g%
water
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Symphytum
officinale
g%
Figure 1
water
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
dry matter
em
st
I
em
st
II
em
st
Trifolium pratense
III
em
st
I
em
st
II
em
st
Trifolium
pannonicum
III
em
st
I
em
st
II
em
st
III
Trifolium montanum
em
st
I
em
st
II
em
st
Echium vulgare
III
em
st
I
em
st
II
em
st
III
Symphytum
officinale
Figure2
The cellular liquid concentration
% sucrose
10
8
6
4
2
0
Echium vulgare
Symphytum officinale
Figure 3
54
Plantago lanceolata
Plantago major
ANIŞOARA STRATU and colabs.
PLATE II
stems
leaves
of
f ic
vu
lg
a
Sy
m
Pl
an
ph
y
Ec
hi
tu
m
um
ta
go
Pl
an
ta
go
in
al
e
re
r
m
aj
o
eo
la
ta
la
nc
m
m
liu
Tr
ifo
Tr
ifo
liu
Tr
ifo
m
liu
m
pa
nn
on
on
ta
nu
ic
um
m
flowers/inflorescences
pr
at
en
se
g%
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Trifolium
pannonicum
Trifolium montanum
III
II
st
em
I
Echium vulgare
st
em
st
em
st
em
III
II
I
st
em
st
em
III
II
st
em
st
em
st
em
III
st
em
st
em
II
I
st
em
st
em
III
II
st
em
I
st
em
Trifolium pratense
I
total mineral elements content
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Symphytum officinale
Figure 5
Clorophyll a
Clorophyll b
Carotenoidic pigments
Total pigments
3
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
0
m
Sy
y
ph
m
tu
re
f ic
of
a
lg
vu
r
e
al
in
um
ic
m
ta
la
eo
o
aj
m
nc
la
on
nu
ta
nn
pa
on
55
um
go
ta
go
ta
m
m
se
en
at
pr
Figure 6
hi
Ec
an
Pl
an
Pl
liu
m
m
liu
liu
ifo
Tr
ifo
Tr
ifo
Tr
mg pigments/ g fresh materiel
g%
Figure 4