Understanding Resource Allocation Trade-offs in Plants

Nandha K, Vishal (2021) Understanding Resource Allocation Trade-offs in Plants. Masters thesis, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata.

Text (MS Dissertation of Vishal Nandha K (16MS193)) 16MS193_Thesis_file.pdf - Submitted Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (790kB)

Abstract

Plants have a limited pool of resources that they must distribute to growth, reproduction and defences against herbivores and diseases. Natural selection favours plants that allocate their available resources to maximize fitness under varying abiotic and biotic conditions. To optimally allocate resources to growth or defence constitutes the classical dilemma for plants resulting in trade-offs that ultimately affects survival against herbivores and pathogens. In this study, using mustard plants, I attempted to understand such trade-offs, if any, by studying secondary metabolites in the leaf extract of Brassica rapa from 3 different fields in Nadia district of West Bengal. Total phenolics, flavonoids and anti-oxidants present in the leaf extracts were measured. A direct correlation between the phenolics and flavonoids to that of anti-oxidant property was observed. We also found that the anti-oxidant property consistently increased with the increase in biomass. Due to the pandemic situation, I could not complete measurement of nectar composition in these plants that would have given a measure to understand trade-off between reproductive success and plant defence. Hence this part has been inferred from available literature and discussed.

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