Author : Ishak Bin Pandak

Summary : The study on physiological and morphological changes as well as plant survival percentage was conducted to assess the tolerability of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk.) and champedak (A. integer Merr.) under flooding condition. The seedlings were subjected to flooding for 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours while control plans were watered regularly. The results showed that proline gradually accumulated in roots, leaves, and shoots of two species, reached the maxima after 24 hours and then descended. Jackfruit had higher proline content in all plant parts than champedak. The leaf petiole epinastic curvature was less pronounced in jackfruit than in champedak. Stem hypertrophy increment occured as early as 3 hours after in champedak and 12 hours after or less in jackfruit. Loss of chlorophyll content in the third leaf from apex was up to 25 percent. There was no difference in chlorophyll loss between the two species. The survival percentages of champedak and jackfruit were 17 and 95 percent, respectively. The results demonstrated that the survival percentage of these two species had a parallel trend with proline content, leaf epinasty, and stem hypertrophy. A higher proline accumulation in jackfruit, smaller leaf epinastic curvature, and stem hypertrophy increment were likely to be considered a greater tolerability in an adverse rhizosphere. This phenomenon could be related to flood sensitivity in two species. Hence, some relevant physiological and morphological parameters could be employed in the flood-tolerability screening program.