Morphophysiological, Phytochemical and Antioxidant Responses of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) to Salinity Stress

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 former Ph.D. Student, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.

10.29252/aridbiom.2026.4218

Abstract

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is an annual plant of the Portulacaceae family that grows in warm and saline areas and has long been considered one of the most nutritious native vegetables. With the spread of soil salinity in arid regions of Iran, especially around Lake Urmia, understanding how this species copes with high levels of salt is important for both cultivation and pharmaceuticals. In the present study, the response of Purslane to two levels of soil electrical conductivity (2 and 16 dS/m) was evaluated under field conditions and in a randomized complete block design in 2024 at Urmia University with three replications. The results showed that high salinity reduced fresh weight, dry weight and number of leaves by 33.9, 36.3 and 38.4%, respectively, and the relative leaf water content, total chlorophyll and photosystem II efficiency also showed significant decreases. Among the ionic traits, sodium accumulation in roots, stems and leaves was 221, 208 and 103% higher than the control, respectively, and electrolyte leakage increased from 31.95 to 57.67%. Under salinity conditions, the plant responded by increasing anthocyanin, polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase. In general, Purslane was able to adapt to salinity of 16 dS/m by a combination of osmotic regulation, activation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic shields and restriction of sodium transport to the leaves; however, the significant reduction in growth at this level indicates that this value has the physiological tolerance threshold of the species.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Arid Biome
Volume 15, Issue 2
September 2025
Pages 141-151

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