Table 2 Soil parameters of Solanum surattense sampled from dryland ecosystems. Values are mean ± se (n = 10). Mean values in a column with different superscript letters are significantly different (p < 0.05 of the analysis of variance –ANOVA-across sites and post-hoc least significant difference –LSD-test of multiple comparisons among sites).

Cholistan Desert

Rahim Yar Khan

Sand dunes

7.02 ± 0.08a

0.75 ± 0.05 h

85.76 ± 6.21 h

63.29 ± 4.17f

66.32 ± 3.94 g

0.15 ± 0.01 g

11.32 ± 0.9f

1.27 ± 0.14e

1.09 ± 0.12j

Bagho Bahar

Desert canal

6.94 ± 0.07b

0.83 ± 0.06 g

98.53 ± 7.13 g

116.31 ± 5.87d

79.74 ± 4.11f

0.39 ± 0.02c

22.53 ± 0.8 cd

2.74 ± 0.16bc

1.39 ± 0.11 g

Aman Garh

Desert flats

7.02 ± 0.08a

0.93 ± 0.07f

47.62 ± 3.89i

76.31 ± 9.23e

52.24 ± 3.79 h

0.22 ± 0.01f

19.76 ± 1.7d

3.13 ± 0.18c

2.66 ± 0.15c

Sardar Garh

Saline desert

6.77 ± 0.06c

4.60 ± 0.04c

398.45 ± 3.14c

44.91 ± 4.02i

42.45 ± 2.97j

0.23 ± 0.02f

12.53 ± 0.8ef

2.27 ± 0.14d

1.15 ± 0.10i

Fateh Pur Kamal

Mud flats

6.77 ± 0.06c

0.60 ± 0.0i

42.45 ± 3.14j

54.91 ± 4.02 g

57.45 ± 2.97i

0.33 ± 0.02e

12.53 ± 0.8ef

2.27 ± 0.14d

1.25 ± 0.10 h

Cholistan desert Margins

Thull Hamza

Roadside

6.45 ± 0.05d

2.71 ± 0.15d

232.70 ± 9.32e

141.69 ± 7.43c

176.21 ± 5.49b

0.57 ± 0.02b

21.75 ± 0.7c

2.51 ± 0.13c

1.72 ± 0.14e

Uch Sharif

Agriculture land

5.00 ± 0.04e

1.27 ± 0.22e

112.44 ± 11.27f

190.44 ± 3.67b

222.27 ± 7.94a

0.87 ± 0.02a

28.20 ± 1.5a

3.58 ± 0.14a

2.83 ± 0.13a

Khan Pur

Wasteland

7.10 ± 0.09a

5.24 ± 0.21b

392.70 ± 12.36d

203.88 ± 9.46a

153.03 ± 4.02c

0.42 ± 0.01c

24.76 ± 1.7b

3.13 ± 0.18b

2.66 ± 0.15b

Kot Mithan

Barren land

5.00 ± 0.04e

5.27 ± 0.22b

412.44 ± 11.27b

50.44 ± 3.67 h

122.27 ± 7.94d

0.37 ± 0.02d

21.20 ± 1.5 cd

2.58 ± 0.14c

2.43 ± 0.13d

Bait Zahir Pir

Salt-affected land

6.61 ± 0.06 cd

6.04 ± 0.24a

584.96 ± 14.52a

82.74 ± 4.82de

86.86 ± 6.32e

0.22 ± 0.01a

13.32 ± 0.9e

1.57 ± 0.10a

1.49 ± 0.12f