A REPORT ON RESURRECTION ACTIVITY OF THE FERN ‘Cheilanthes albomarginata clarke’ FROM VARIOUS REGIONS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

Life Sciences-Agricultural Science

Abstract

Drought is a form of desiccation state typified by a major loss in water content of the plant. Some plants called resurrection plants have a natural ability to tolerate drought stress. Resurrection plants are characterized by the ability to revive or becoming alive after seeming to be dead. In this study, seven different ferns and one clubmoss collected from Solan and adjoining regions of Himachal Pradesh were analyzed for resurrection property in excised fronds. Out of these, one fern namely Cheilanthes albomarginata exhibited resurrection activity. Of the eight ferns, relative water content was found to be highest for Cheilanthes albomarginata. Of the ten different locations of Himachal Pradesh studied, resurrection activity was detectable in all the samples of Cheilanthes albomarginata, with fastest resurrection in Sirmour sample. This study forms the first report of resurrection  in  Cheilanthes  albomarginata,  and  the first  study on  the  exploration  of ferns  of Himachal Pradesh for resurrection activity.