Khadidja Abderabbi1,2, Ahmed Adda1, Hachemi Benhassaini2, and Othmane Merah3,4
1 Université Ibn Khaldoun, Laboratoire de physiologie végétale appliquée aux cultures hors-sol, 14000 Tiaret, Algérie
2 Djilali Liabès University. Plant Biodiversity Laboratory, B.P. 89, Hai Larbi Benmhidi, 22000 Sidi Bel-Abbès, Algeria
3 Laboratoire de Chimie Agro-industrielle (LCA), Université de Toulouse, INRA, INPT, Toulouse, France
4 Université Paul Sabatier, IUT A, Département Génie Biologique, 24 rue d’embaquès 32000 Auch, France
Abderabbi, Kh., Adda, A., Benhassaini, H. & Merah, O. (2018). Leaf morphological and anatomical traits variation of Artemisia herba-alba in a steppe zone of Algeria. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 24(4), 631–637
The present study was interested on the leaf morphological and anatomical parameters characterization and variation of Artemisia herba-alba Asso population in a steppe zone of western Algeria. The results showed significant micro- and macro-morphological variability between individuals in the study population. The leaf anatomy brings the presence of a water reserve parenchyma in this species. This parenchyma would be a water accumulation site during dry periods and it is therefore an effective mechanism for drought adaptation. The anatomical parameters studied also show significant variations. The other anatomical parameters of the leaf also have a very pronounced variability. It is shown through this study that morpho-anatomical models are established. Thus, the increase of the water reserve parenchyma thickness is accompanied by an increase of the chlorophyll parenchyma and the stomatal density, and the opposite situation was observed.