Abstract
The nature and quantity of low-molecular organic acids (LOAs) exuded by the roots of nine species of calcifuge and nine species of acidifuge wild plants from northern Europe were determined by ion chromatography. Particular attention was paid to differences between the calcifuge and the acidifuge species in the proportions of different LOAs in their root exudates. Great differences in mol% root exudation between the calcifuge and the acidifuge species were found in some acids. The calcifuge species exuded more acetic acid, the acidifuge species more oxalic acid and much more citric acid. In three calcifuge species, however, root exudation of oxalic acid was appreciable, whereas acetic acid exudation was low in these species. The phosphate- and Fe-solubilizing ability of eight LOAs in a rhizosphere limestone soil was also tested. Oxalic acid was the most efficient phosphate solubilizer and citric acid, by far, the most efficient Fe-solubilizer at the concentration (10 mM) tested. It might be hypothesized that acidifuge species use oxalate to solubilize phosphate and citrate to solubilize Fe, in limestone soil. The inability of calcifuge species to grow in limestone soil might, therefore, be due to low root exudation of these acids and, as a result, inability to solubilize phosphate and Fe in limestone soil.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barber D A and Lynch J M 1977 Microbial growth in the rhizosphere. Soil. Biol. Biochem. 9, 305–308.
Bar-Yosef B 1991 Root excretions and their environmental effects. In Plant Roots The Hidden Half. Eds. YWaisel, AEshel and UKafkafi. pp 529–557. Marcel Dekker Inc., New York.
Bowen G D and Rovira A 1991 The rhizosphere. In Plant Roots The Hidden Half. Eds. YWaisel, AEshel and UKafkafi. pp 641–669. Marcel Dekker Inc., New York.
Bromfield S M 1958 The solution of gamma-MnO2 by substances released from soil and from the root of oats and vetch in relation to Mn availability. Plant and Soil 10, 147–160.
Deb D L and Datta N P 1967 Effects of associating anions on phosphorus retention insoil. I. Under variable phosphorus concentration. Plant and Soil 26, 303–316.
Duchesne L C, Ellis B E and Peterson R L 1989 Disease suppression by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus: contribution of oxalic acid. Can. J. Bot. 67, 2726–2730.
Fox T R and Comerford N B 1990 Low-molecular-weight organic acids in selected forest soils of the southeastern USA. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 54, 1139–1144.
Fox T R and Comerford N B 1992 Influence of oxalate loading on phosphorus and aluminium solubility in spodosols. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 56, 290–294.
Gardner W K, Barber D A and Parbery D G 1983 The acquisition of phosphorus by Lupinus albus L. III. The probable mechanism by which phosphorus movement in the soil/root interface is enhanced. Plant and Soil 70, 107–124.
Grierson P F 1992 Organic acids in the rhizosphere of Banksia integrifolia L.f. Plant and Soil 144, 259–265.
Grime J P 1965 The ecological significance of lime-chlorosis. An experiment with two species of Lathyrus. New Phytol. 64, 477–487.
Grime J P and Hutchinson T C 1967 The incidence of lime-chlorosis in the natural vegetation of England. J. Ecol. 55, 557–566.
Jurinak J J, Dudley L M, Allen M F and Knight W G 1986 The role of calcium oxalate in the availability of phosphorus in soils of semiarid regions: A thermodynamic study. Soil Sci. 142, 255–261.
Kafkafi U, Bar-Yosef B, Rosenberg R and Sposito G 1988 Phosphorus adsorption by kaolinite and montmorillonite: II. Organic anion competition. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 52, 1585–1589.
Kovacs M F 1971 Identification of aliphatic and aromatic acids in root and seed exudates of peas, cotton and barley. Plant and Soil 34, 441–451.
Lipton D S, Blanchar R W and Blevins D G 1987 Citrate, malate, and succinate concentration in exudates from P-sufficient and P-stressed Medicago sativa L. seedlings. Plant Physiol. 85, 315–317.
Mench M and Martin E 1991 Mobilization of cadmium and other metals from two soils by root exudates of Zea mays L., Nicotiana tabacum L. and Nicotiana rustica L. Plant and Soil 132, 187–196.
Popp M and Kinzel H 1981 Changes in the organic acid content of some cultivated plants induced by mineral ion deficiency. J. Exp. Bot. 32, 1–8.
Ratnayake M, Leonard R T and Menge J A 1978 Root exudation in relation to supply of phosphorus and its possible relevance to mycorrhizal formation. New Phytol. 81, 543–552.
Römheld V 1987 Different strategies for iron acquisition in higher plants. Physiol. Plant. 70, 231–234.
Smith W H 1976 Character and significance of forest tree root exudates. Ecology 57, 324–331.
Treeby M, Marschner H and Römheld V 1989 Mobilization of iron and other micronutrient cations from a calcareous soil by plantborne, microbial and synthetic metal chelators. Plant and Soil 114, 217–226.
Tyler G 1992 Inability to solubilize phosphate in limestone soils—key factor controlling calcifuge habit of plants. Plant and Soil 145, 65–70.
Tyler G 1994 A new approach to understanding the calcifuge habit of plants. Ann. Bot. 73, 327–330.
Tyler G and Olsson P 1993 The calcifuge behaviour of Viscaria vulgaris. J. Veg. Sci. 4, 29–36.
Vancura V 1964 Root exudates of plants. I. Analysis of root exudates of barley and wheat in their initial phases of growth. Plant and Soil 21, 231–248.
Vancura V and Hovadik A 1965 Root exudates of plants. II. Composition of root exudates of some vegetables. Plant and Soil 22, 21–32.
Vancura V and Hanzlikova A 1972 Root exudates of plants. IV. Differences in chemical composition of seed and seedling exudates. Plant and Soil 36, 271–282.
Zar J H 1984 Biostatistical Analysis, second edition. Prentice-Hall International, London.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ström, L., Olsson, T. & Tyler, G. Differences between calcifuge and acidifuge plants in root exudation of low-molecular organic acids. Plant Soil 167, 239–245 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007950
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007950