COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF HYPERTHERMIA ON CELL MEMBRANE PERMEABILITY OF SOME FERNS
R. KOTHARI *
Department of Botany, M. L. V. Government College, Bhilwara- 311 001, India
B. L. YADAV *
Department of Botany, M. L. V. Government College, Bhilwara- 311 001, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Effect of hyperhermia on cell membrane permeability in four fern species namely Asplenium pumilum Sw. Var. hymenophylloides Fee, Athyrium schiemperi Moug. ex Fee, A. pectinatum (Wall. ex Mett.) Moore and Actiniopteris radiata(Sw.) Link occurring in Rajasthan has been investigated. A. radiata has been found to exhibit the highest membrane stability measured in terms of leaching of sugars, proteins and nucleotides in response to higher temperatures while the least membrane stability has been observed in A. pumilum var. hymenophylloides. The other fern taxa range in between these two. These data are in confirmation with the survival and growth periods of these taxa in nature.
Keywords: A. pumilum var. hymenophylloides, A. pectinatum, A. schiemperi,, A. radiata,, Hyperthermia, cell membrane permeability,, Rajasthan ferns.