Morpho-Anatomical Adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla Along the Salinity Gradients in Sargodha Pakistan

Salinity is a critical environmental stressor that significantly impairs plant productivity, rendering approximately 800 million hectares of agricultural land globally unfit for cultivation. This study investigates the morpho-anatomical adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla, a hyper accumulator sedge from the Cyperaceae family, which dominates the saline wetlands of the Sargodha region. This research represents a novel approach, as such an investigation had not been previously conducted for this species. Plant samples of Schoenoplectus lacustris were collected from natural habitats exhibiting varying levels of salinity. The corresponding soil samples were categorized into highly saline, moderately saline, and less saline based on their physicochemical properties. The species demonstrated optimal growth under highly saline conditions, underscoring its potential as a highly efficient halophyte. Morphological parameters, including plant height, shoot and root biomass (fresh and dry weight), root length, leaf length, and leaf area, were found to be highest in highly saline soils and lowest in less saline conditions. Anatomical adaptations of Schoenoplectus lacustris to salinity stress included reductions in stem cross-sectional area and modifications in root structure. These included increased endodermis thickness, broader xylem vessels, larger parenchymatous cells, and enhanced aerenchyma development. In addition, Schoenoplectus lacustris exhibited complementary responses such as an increase in epidermal cell area, reduced stomatal density, intensified sclerification, enlarged vascular bundle, metaxylem, phloem, and bulliform cell areas. These morpho-anatomical modifications enable Schoenoplectus lacustris to thrive under hypersaline conditions, making it a promising candidate for the rehabilitation of saline soils in Pakistan for both food and fodder production