Research Article

Seasonal Variation in Morphological, Pigment and Nitrogen Metabolism of Acalypha indica L.

Shalini Singh and Kumari Sunita*

Department of Botany, Plant Physiology, Biochemistry and PGPR Lab., Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

*Corresponding author e-mail: ksunita78@gmail.com

(Received: 10/08/2025; Revised: 25/09/2025; Accepted: 05/10/2025; Published: 20/12/2025)

ABSTRACT

The present study examines the influence of seasonal variations on the morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of Acalypha indica L., a herbaceous plant with recognized therapeutic value. Comparative analysis was performed during winter and summer seasons to examine changes in plant morphology, photosynthetic pigment and nitrogen metabolism. Winter plants exhibited longer roots (15.7 ± 2.0 cm) and shoots (57.0 ± 8.0 cm), whereas summer plants had significantly higher leaf number (226.7 ± 9.3), biomass (34.86 ± 4.3 g), and larger leaf area (27.74 ± 3.2 cm²). Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids were higher in winter (1.24 ± 0.10, 1.06 ± 0.08, and 1.40 ± 0.05 mg/g FW, respectively) than in summer (1.02 ± 0.04, 0.88 ± 0.03, and 0.88 ± 0.02 mg/g FW), indicating enhanced pigment accumulation under cooler conditions. Conversely, nitrate reductase activity and total nitrogen content were higher in summer (0.835 ± 0.04 OD at 540 nm; 0.496 ± 0.02 OD at 440 nm) than in winter (0.414 ± 0.03; 0.316 ± 0.05), reflecting increased nitrogen assimilation during warmer conditions. These results indicate a clear seasonal variation in pigment synthesis and nitrogen assimilation, with cooler conditions favoring pigment accumulation and warmer conditions enhancing nitrogen metabolism. The findings provide preliminary insights into how environmental factors affect the physiological performance of A. indica, potentially influencing its medicinal properties.

Keywords: Acalypha indica, Morphological, Nitrogen Metabolism, Photosynthetic pigments