Influence of the environment on the content of primary metabolites in the aerial part of Tamarix sp. in the arid zones of the Khenchela region (Eastern Algeria)

In this work, we tried to determine the influence of the environment on the content of the main primary metabolites in Tamarix sp. in different areas of the arid region of Khenchela located in the Algerian East where different species of this genus of the Tamaricaceae family represent a remarkable adaptation, where we recorded rather variable values according to the environment. The dosage of chlorophylls (a+b) gave values ranging from 10.05 (µg/g MF) for the site of Guerat El Taref, 10.78(µg/g MF), for the site of Ouazerne 19.02 (µg/g MF), for the site of Oued El Arab. The determination of total sugars gave 0.178 (µg/g MF) for the site of Guerat El Taref, 0.182 µg/g MF) for the site of Ouazerne and 0.184 µg/g MF) for the site of Oued El Arab. The results of the proline and total protein assay followed the same fluctuation with the lowest values in the Guerat El Taref site, the average values in the Ouazerne site and the highest values in the Oued El Arab site. On the other hand, the DNA and RNA quantification gave a high value of 10.85 (µmol/g MS) for Guerat El Taref, 5.62(µmol/g MS) for the site of Oued El Arab and the lowest value that is 1.79(µmol/g MS) for the site of Ouazerne. Statistical analysis by one-way analysis of variance revealed a significant link between environment and the synthesis of these secondary metabolites as an adaptation strategy adopted by Tamarix.