Morpho-Anatomical Adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla Along the Salinity Gradients in Sargodha Pakistan

Morpho-Anatomical Adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla Along the Salinity Gradients in Sargodha Pakistan | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Morpho-Anatomical Adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla Along the Salinity Gradients in Sargodha Pakistan Muhammad Hassan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5741453/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Salinity is a critical environmental stressor that significantly impairs plant productivity, rendering approximately 800 million hectares of agricultural land globally unfit for cultivation. This study investigates the morpho-anatomical adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla, a hyper accumulator sedge from the Cyperaceae family, which dominates the saline wetlands of the Sargodha region. This research represents a novel approach, as such an investigation had not been previously conducted for this species. Plant samples of Schoenoplectus lacustris were collected from natural habitats exhibiting varying levels of salinity. The corresponding soil samples were categorized into highly saline, moderately saline, and less saline based on their physicochemical properties. The species demonstrated optimal growth under highly saline conditions, underscoring its potential as a highly efficient halophyte. Morphological parameters, including plant height, shoot and root biomass (fresh and dry weight), root length, leaf length, and leaf area, were found to be highest in highly saline soils and lowest in less saline conditions. Anatomical adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris to salinity stress included reductions in stem cross-sectional area and modifications in root structure. These included increased endodermis thickness, broader xylem vessels, larger parenchymatous cells, and enhanced aerenchyma development. In addition, Schoenoplectus lacustris exhibited complementary responses such as an increase in epidermal cell area, reduced stomatal density, intensified sclerification, enlarged vascular bundle, metaxylem, phloem, and bulliform cell areas. These morpho-anatomical modifications enable Schoenoplectus lacustris to thrive under hypersaline conditions, making it a promising candidate for the rehabilitation of saline soils in Pakistan for both food and fodder production Botany Schoenoplectus lacustris Anatomical Adaptations Salinity Sedge Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5741453","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":396159450,"identity":"ee876547-8a23-498f-9db8-a87d541e3e40","order_by":0,"name":"Muhammad Hassan","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Muhammad","middleName":"","lastName":"Hassan","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-12-31 10:51:18","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":true,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":true,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":true},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5741453/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5741453/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":72730060,"identity":"d5b7ac60-0d30-476e-98b2-05c05d3b2632","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-01-01 06:03:49","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":812741,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ResearchpaperMorphoAnatomicalAdaptationsofSchoenoplectuslacustrisL.PallaAlongtheSalinityGradientsinSargodhaPakistan.Autosavedfulllength.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5741453/v1_covered_2a1fc213-c79c-4917-95e1-ce9f5eb38676.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eMorpho-Anatomical Adaptations of \u003cem\u003eSchoenoplectus lacustris\u003c/em\u003e (L.) Palla Along the Salinity Gradients in Sargodha Pakistan\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"University of Sargodha","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Schoenoplectus lacustris, Anatomical, Adaptations, Salinity Sedge","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5741453/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5741453/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eSalinity is a critical environmental stressor that significantly impairs plant productivity, rendering approximately 800 million hectares of agricultural land globally unfit for cultivation. This study investigates the morpho-anatomical adaptations of \u003cem\u003eSchoenoplectus lacustris\u003c/em\u003e(L.) Palla, a hyper accumulator sedge from the Cyperaceae family, which dominates the saline wetlands of the Sargodha region. This research represents a novel approach, as such an investigation had not been previously conducted for this species. Plant samples of \u003cem\u003eSchoenoplectus lacustris\u003c/em\u003e were collected from natural habitats exhibiting varying levels of salinity. The corresponding soil samples were categorized into highly saline, moderately saline, and less saline based on their physicochemical properties. The species demonstrated optimal growth under highly saline conditions, underscoring its potential as a highly efficient halophyte. Morphological parameters, including plant height, shoot and root biomass (fresh and dry weight), root length, leaf length, and leaf area, were found to be highest in highly saline soils and lowest in less saline conditions. Anatomical adaptations of \u003cem\u003eSchoenoplectus lacustris\u003c/em\u003eto salinity stress included reductions in stem cross-sectional area and modifications in root structure. These included increased endodermis thickness, broader xylem vessels, larger parenchymatous cells, and enhanced aerenchyma development. In addition, \u003cem\u003eSchoenoplectus lacustris\u003c/em\u003e exhibited complementary responses such as an increase in epidermal cell area, reduced stomatal density, intensified sclerification, enlarged vascular bundle, metaxylem, phloem, and bulliform cell areas. These morpho-anatomical modifications enable \u003cem\u003eSchoenoplectus lacustris\u003c/em\u003e to thrive under hypersaline conditions, making it a promising candidate for the rehabilitation of saline soils in Pakistan for both food and fodder production\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Morpho-Anatomical Adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) 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