Peculiarities of xerophytes adaptation to drought in Chachuna managed territory and Vashlovani protected area (Eastern Georgia)

Today, when desertification is one of the expected ecological disasters in the background of global climate change, investigation of the biological mechanisms of xerophytes stress resistance has become popular. One of the key biochemical mechanisms of plant protection against unfavourable environmental conditions is a large group of compounds with different chemical nature united under the name of antioxidant system. Investigation of the characteristics of the antioxidant system of xerophytes of different habitats of the driest region of Georgia (East Georgia) was the aim of the presented study. The content of low-molecular antioxidants and osmolytes as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes was studied in leaves of experimental plants. It has been concluded that the distinctive values of the indices of antioxidant system are manifested as the main mechanism of adaptation. There can be several such mechanisms in each species at the same time, which is probably a specific feature. In some cases, these mechanisms are similar in species of one habitat and presumably are related to the living environment; In general, it is possible to single out characteristic strategy of adaptation to stress for each studied species, which includes certain enzymatic and non-enzymatic components of the antioxidant system.