T.V. Rajya Lakshmi
University of modern sciences, Al Twar UAE
Title: Estimation of free proline in the leaf, stem, root and breathing roots of Avicennia marina (mangrove) and its medicinal uses.
Biography
Biography: T.V. Rajya Lakshmi
Abstract
Mangrove plants represented by Avicennia marina in UAE grow in range of substrate soils – organics, sandy, hard substrates and are exposed to high temperatures up to 50ºC. Plants under abiotic stress accumulate proline in their tissues; estimation of free proline is a useful assay to monitor the stress tolerance in such plants. The aim of the present work is to estimate free proline in stem, leaf, root and breathing root of Avicennia marina and also to detect proline synthetase gene (delta Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase P5CS) responsible for proline synthesis. The estimated proline levels among the different frozen tissues in the mangrove ranged from 15 to18 µmol/g, with roots containing the maximum. Free proline levels were also estimated in three cultivars of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.).R. Br., which were stressed against similar environmental conditions and salinity up to 150mM. The evaluation of proline levels in the leaves of salt stressed cultivars ranged 1.3 and 2.5 µmol/g which is much lesser than their respective controls and the mangrove tissues. Large scale extraction of proline from mangrove leaves for commercial purposes may be interesting. The medicinal importance of proline rich mangrove leaves as a folklore medicine is discussed.