In the natural environment,plants often grow under unfavorable conditions,such as drought,salinity,high temperature, or strong light. However,from the standpoint of biological adaptation to the environment,some plants are tolerant to such environmental stresses. Betaines are quaternary ammonium group and they are known to be one of the major osmoregulating compounds. The present research aims to assess plant ability to synthesis betaine as Osmoregulater under drought or saline conditions, analyze the relationship between the plant characteristics accumulating betaine and site condition.

Plant leaves of 27 species were collected in a saline and arid area of XinJiang, China. Betaines were determinated using capillary electrophoresis. The results shows that GB was detected in many species, and moreover,some species such as Halostachys caspica, Kalidium foliatum.,in saline soil, and Haloxylon persicum in sandy desert accumulated high concentration glycine betaine(GB) were found, and significantly high concentration of β-alanine betaine(AB) was detected in Capparis spinosa L. grown in drought condition, In addition some species also synthesis γ-butyro betaine(γ-BB) merely at low concentration. All results clearly indicated that betaines serve as a compatible solute and osmoprotectant at various levels of stressed conditions.