Variation in chemical contents of seed, and foliage inAlbizia lebbek (L.) Benth. of different provenances

Abstract

Protein, oil, carbohydrate and starch contents of seed, which were collected from places with latitude 9° N to 32° N, longitude 72° E to 85° E and rainfall 40 to 400 cm, varied significantly (P<0.05) among 12 provenances. Interestingly, seed protein was positively correlated (r=0.838,P<0.05), and on the contrary, carbohydrate and starch were negatively correlated (r=−0.755,r=−0.623, respectively,P<0.05), with the latitude of the seed source. Significant variation for N, P, K, Ca and Mg in stems and leaves of one-year and three-year-old plants was also observed when these provenances were grown at Hisar (29°10′ N, 75° 46′ E, 215 m alt.), an arid region in north India. In general, provenances from north India at the age of three years had greater chemical and mineral contents than those from south India. Chlorophyll content was highly correlated with the latitude of the seed source, at the ages of one and three years (r=0.742,r=0.659,P<0.05, respectively), while crude protein of foliage at the age of three years was significantly correlated (r=0.673) with latitude. Dehradun, Jammu and Hisar provenances, from the north had comparatively greater concentrations of N, P and K at the age of three years as compared to those from south India. The results are useful from the points of view of genetical variation, and selection of superior provenances for arid conditions in north India.