How Do Habitat and Seasonality Shape the Adaptive Strategies of Madhuca indica Gmel? Habitat and Seasonality in Madhuca indica

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the morphological, physiological, and ecological responses of Madhuca indica Gmel. to contrasting
environmental conditions in wild and cultivated habitats across two distinct seasons (monsoon and summer). To assess the impact of
habitat and seasonality, we compared four cultivated and four wild individuals based on foliar biomass, leaf relative water content, leaf
area, trichome density, stomatal density, soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and other morphological parameters. While we anticipated
significant differences between wild and cultivated plants, our findings revealed a more nuanced response. A comparative analysis
of the two habitats and seasons highlighted significant positive and negative correlations (p <0.05) between various parameters. By
establishing threshold values for each parameter, we categorized plants as susceptible, moderately tolerant, and highly tolerant. The
observed plasticity in plant responses indicates their ability to adapt to specific moisture regimes. ANOVA revealed significant differences
in trichome density (p = 0.01), soil pH (0.02), EC, and TDS (p = 0.00) in wild habitat and two distinct seasons. These results provide valuable
insights into the adaptive strategies of M. indica.