Characterization of Some Potent Drought Tolerant Tree Legumes for Agroforestry in Bankura, West Bengal

Assessing the Drought Tolerance of Tree Legumes for Agroforestry in Bankura, West Bengal

Abstract

Availability of water in nature is a determining factor for terrestrial plant production on a global scale. In dry climates, low water availability limits productivity. Seedlings (30 days old) of Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn., Delbergia sissoo Roxb., Leucaena leucocephala (Lam,) de Wit. and Saraca indica (Roxb.) Willd. of the family Fabaceae were subject to PEG- induced water stress (- 0.5 and -1.0 MPa) to assess their relative water content and the contents of chlorophyll, protein, soluble sugars and proline in leaves. Chlorophyll and protein contents in leaves of the seedlings showed a gross decline with increasing level of PEG-induced water stress in case of all species whereas amount of carbohydrate and proline content increased in all species with increasing levels of water stress. Considering the comparative biochemical analysis L. leucocephala and A. auriculiformis, these two plants, showed higher potential for drought tolerance.