Climate Change and Its Influence on Anatomical and Physiological Features of Pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.) Leaves

Abstract: Climate change presents a significant barrier to agricultural sustainability, particularly in arid and semiarid zones. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a crop of major nutritional and economic importance in Najaf, Iraq, where prolonged heat waves and scarce rainfall increasingly threaten orchard viability. This study investigated anatomical and physiological adjustments in leaves of the local Hamadhy cultivar and the introduced ‘Wonderful’ cultivar across two growing seasons. Measured traits included epidermal thickness, mesophyll structure, stomatal density, chlorophyll levels, proline accumulation, and cuticular wax deposition. Findings showed reductions in leaf area and chlorophyll content under summer stress, accompanied by thicker epidermis layers, higher proline concentration, and greater wax accumulation. ‘Wonderful’ maintained larger leaf area and higher pigment levels, whereas Hamadhy accumulated more proline, reflecting differing adaptive strategies. These outcomes emphasize the need for cultivar selection and climatesmart practices to sustain pomegranate production under intensifying climate stress .