Full Length Research Paper

Effect of ambient gases and soil moisture regimes on carbohydrate translocation in kidneybean plants grown in pots in Riyadh, KSA

Fahad Al-Qurainy

Botany and Microbilogy Department, Faculty of Sciences, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

E-mail: fahad_alqurainy@yahoo.com.

Accepted 29 January, 2009

This study designated to examine the effect of elevated gases in four localities of Riyadh City on carbohydrate for parts of kidneybean plants (Phaseolous vulgaris L.) grown in pots under two soil moisture regimes (well-watered vs. restricted water). Carbohydrate analysis results showed increases in kidneybean samples under well-watered conditions compared to restricted soil moisture. Most kidneybean samples at Embasses site exhibited higher soluble, insoluble and total carbohydrate concentrations while the Batha site samples have lower values of these fractions. Batha site reduced the flux of carbohydrates from source to the sinks of both soil moisture regimes. This study concluded that there was a good relation between the effect of highly polluted localities and kidneybean leaves carbohydrate content and its translocation.

Key words: Gas pollution, Riyadh, kidneybean, carbohydrate content.