Effect on the leaf lipids of three species of mangrove of periodic submergence in tidal water

Abstract

Mangrove plant leaves of Avicennia officinalis, Acanthus illicifolius and Bruguiera gymnorhiza, grown under tidal water stress, were found to biosynthesize higher proportions of hydrocarbons, wax esters, sterol esters, triglycerides, sterols and low- M, terpenes, compared to the plants grown normally. Hydrocarbons and n-alcohols of wax esters, with longer chain lengths were found in higher proportions in the plants grown normally. Higher proportions of unsaturated n-alcohols of wax esters were present in the leaves of periodically submerged plants. Proportions of unsaturated fatty acids of wax esters, sterol esters and triglycerides were also higher in the submerged plants. Sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol of the sterol esters, were higher in submerged plants, whereas 28-isofucosterol was higher in normal plants. Of the free sterols, sitosterol was higher in submerged plants, whereas stigmast-7-en-3β-ol and campesterol were higher in normal plants and 28-isofucosterol was found only in submerged plants. Pentacyclic triterpenoids were found only in normal plants, whereas, the submerged plants contained low- M, terpenes in higher proportions.