Exploring Adaptive Strategies and Resilience to Drought Stress Across Diverse Populations of Sporobolus Ioclados in the Cholistan Desert

Abstract The present research was carried out at the Khawaja Fareed Government College, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, to check the drought tolerance mechanisms of fifteen distinct ecotypes of Sporobolus ioclados. These ecotypes were cultivated using regular nursery techniques, and then exposed to four different degrees of drought in a carefully monitored experimental setting. The experiment's two-factorial arrangement of populations and drought treatments was performed three times to achieve statistical significance. Sporobolus ioclados's plant height, number of roots, flag leaf area, stomatal features, and proline concentration all varied significantly as a result of the plant's physiological and morphological responses to drought stress. A mixture of statistical methods, including ANOVA, PCA, HCA, and DFA, offered a thorough knowledge of the plant's adaptation processes and the level of ecotype diversity within the species. Drought stress caused significant changes in morphological and physiological features, and proline content was negatively correlated with photosynthetic activity, indicating that proline protects against drought. Sporobolus ioclados populations have varied adaptation strategies, and the species' potential for afforestation in dry environments was shown using PCA and DFA analysis. This work significantly contributes to climate change research and ecosystem conservation by revealing drought-tolerant plants for desert places.