Physiological and biochemical plasticity of Lepidium latifolium as ‘sleeper weed’ in Western Himalayas

To understand the spread of native populations of Lepidium latifolium growing in different altitudes in Ladakh region of Western Himalayas, photosynthetic and fluorescence characteristics were evaluated in relation to their micro-environment. Three sites representing sparsely populated (SPS), moderately populated (MPS) and densely populated site (DPS) were selected. Results showed that the DPS had higher photosynthetic accumulation than MPS and SPS. The higher transpiration rate at DPS despite lower vapor pressure deficit and higher relative humidity suggest the regulation of its leaf temperature by evaporative cooling. Intrinsic soil parameters such as water holding capacity and nutrient availability also play crucial role in higher biomass here. The quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (F-v/F-m, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), phi(PSII)) and light curve at various PPFDs suggests better light harvesting potential and light compensation point at DPS than the other two sites. Concomitantly, plants at SPS had significantly higher lipid peroxidation, suggesting a stressful environment, and higher induction of antioxidative enzymes. Metabolic content of reduced glutathione also suggests an efficient mechanism in DPS and MPS than SPS. High light intensities at MPS are managed by specialized contrive of carotenoid pigments and PsbS gene product. Large pool of violaxanthin and lutein plays an important role in this response. It is suggested that L. latifolium is present as sleeper weed' that has inherent biochemical plasticity involving multiple processes in Western Himalayas. Its potential spread is linked to site-specific micro-environment, whereby, it prefers flat valley bottoms with alluvial fills having high water availability, and has little or no altitudinal effect.