Full Length Research Paper

Photosynthetic responses of pea plants (Pisum sativum L. cv. Little marvel) exposed to climate change in Riyadh city, KSA

Akram Ali^1,5*, Ahmed Alfarhan¹, Ibrahim Aldjain², Nagat Bokhari¹, Wafa’a Al-Taisan³, Khaled Al-Rasheid⁴ and Saleh Al-Quraishi⁴

¹Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, PO Box: 2455, KSA.

²General Admin. of Gardens and landscape, Riyadh Municipality, P.O Box 156444 Riyadh 11778, KSA.

³Botany Department, College of Science, King Faisal University, Damam 31113, PO Box: 838, KSA.

⁴Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, PO Box: 2455, KSA.

⁵Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: akram692000@yahoo.com. Tel: 00966557554020, Fax: 0096614675833.

Accepted 10 July, 2008

Pots study was conducted to determine interactive effects of climate change (NO₂, SO₂ and O₃) on photosynthetic responses in pea. The seeds of pea plants (Pisum sativum L. cv. Little marvel) were grown full-season in three pots arranged at four localities in Riyadh city, KSA. Photosynthetic rates (P_n) were measured three times during vegetative and reproductive stages with portable gas exchange system (LI-COR 6400). In general, P_n rates were highly stimulated at Elsefarat area and highly reduced at the 2^nd Industrial city but variable at other localities in Riyadh city. The data showed continuous increases in P_n rates during pre-flowering and early seed formation and drops during late seed formation stage. This study supports that the agricultural areas could have a protective role against adverse impacts of gases exposure in highly polluted areas.

Key words: Photosynthesis, growth stages, pea, gases, KSA.