Physiological responses of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) plants to UV radiation in its high-altitude mountain ecosystem.

ABSTRACT: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a small fraction of the solar spectrum, which acts as a key environmental modulator of plant function affecting metabolic regulation and growth. Plant species endemic to the Andes are well adapted to the harsh features of high-altitude climate, including high UV radiation. Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walpers) is a member of Brassicaceae family native to the central Andes of Peru, which grows between 3500 and 4500 m of altitude, where only highland grasses and few hardy bushes can survive. Even though maca has been the focus of recent researches, mainly due to its nutraceutical properties, knowledge regarding its adaptation mechanisms to these particular natural environmental conditions is scarce. In this study, we manipulated solar UV radiation by using UV-transmit

SUBMITTER: Huarancca Reyes T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7021813 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature