Biochemistry of Plants Growing Naturally Under Semi-Arid Conditions

Scarcity of water, mineral deficiency, high irradiance and high temperature constitute stress conditions, all of which together prevail in Sanjay van, a tropical dry deciduous forest semi-arid region of southeast Rajasthan, India. Butea monosperma (Flame of the forest) is the most widespread, naturally growing endemic dominant tree of this region along with a few other less abundant woody species. The work has demonstrated that how the dominant tree, B. monosperma flourishes in such conditions by developing traits well suited for adaptation as witnessed specially by its photosynthetic performance, phosphorus acquisition efficiency and the V-ATPase and V-PPase activities.