Physio-biochemical characteristics of Acrostichum aureum L. In the coir retting areas of Kadinamkulam Estuary, South India

Abstract

The Kadinamkulam lake a temporary estuary lying in the southern part of Kerala, is the largest of its kind in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. Connected with the Anchuthengu kayal on the north and the Veli kayal on the south, the north and the Veli kayal on the south, the Kadinamkulam kayal remains connected with the Lakshadweep Sea for varying periods depending on rain fall and river discharge. Acrostichum aureum L. is only pteridophyte genus fern in the mangrove ecosystem of Indian coast. So the present study was conducted in the plant Acrostichum aureum L. identified in the selected stations of Kadinamkulam estuary. The major objective of the study is to assess the changes in the physiological and biochemical characteristics of the plant Acrostichum aureum L in coir retting areas. For this, surface water samples and plant samples were collected from the six selected stations of the coir retting areas and one station in the non-retting area of Kadinamkulam estuary. The results show reduction in leaf pigments, total proteins, carbohydrates in the Acrostichum aureum L. plants in polluted stations compared to that of control station/non retting area. The malondialdehyde, antioxidants and proline were increased in the Acrostichum aureum plants in retting stations and it vividly points out the stressful environment in the study area. It may be due to the presence of pollutants in the coir retting effluents and sewage disposed to this lake. The results of the study in lake water samples show that the values of some water quality parameters in coir retting areas were above the permissible limits of surface water quality standards.