Physiological characterization of the wild almond Prunus arabica stem photosynthetic capability.

ABSTRACT: Leaves are the major plant tissue for transpiration and carbon fixation in deciduous trees. In harsh habitats, atmospheric CO₂ assimilation via stem photosynthesis is common, providing extra carbon gain to cope with the detrimental conditions. We studied two almond species, the commercial Prunus dulcis cultivar "Um-el-Fahem" and the rare wild Prunus arabica. Our study revealed two distinctive strategies for carbon gain in these almond species. While, in P. dulcis, leaves possess the major photosynthetic surface area, in P. arabica, green stems perform this function, in particular during the winter after leaf drop. These two species' anatomical and physiological comparisons show that P. arabica carries unique features that support stem ga

SUBMITTER: Trainin T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9372545 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature