Environmental Heterogeneity and Its Impact on Adaptive Traits of Panicum antidotale Under Combined Drought and Salinity Stress in Punjab, Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66835/psh.2026.e0010
Keywords:
Environmental heterogeneity, Panicum antidotale, Drought stress, Salinity stress, Ecozones of Punjab, Adaptive traitsAbstract
Panicum antidotale is a very tolerant C4 grass from the Indo-Pakistan region that can be used under harsh environmental conditions, especially when under drought and salinity stress. This review explores the morphological (phenological), anatomical, and physiological adaptations of P. antidotale in various ecological zones of Punjab, such as the Salt Range, wetland, desert, and mountain area. P. antidotale shows a suite of morphological adaptations, including a reduced leaf area, extensive leaf sclerification, and root changes for water retention and uptake. Anatomically, the species has thickly sclerified vascular bundles, wider metaxylem vessels, and salt excretion glands (food for osmotic adjustment). In addition, P. antidotale has a powerful biochemical defense system, which involves the accumulation of proline, increased antioxidant enzyme activity, and selective ion regulation to reduce the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the plant. These several-side nature of adaptations allows the species to be productive in unfavorable and degraded conditions. The review underscores the importance of the ecological role of P. antidotale and the need to better understand its adaptive mechanisms to facilitate breeding of stress-tolerant forage cultivars. Further studies are needed to understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying this resilience, which should lead to the implementation of P. antidotale on a large scale in climate-smart agriculture and in the restoration of degraded rangelands.
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