Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Xylem sap calcium concentrations do not explain liming-induced inhibition of legume gas exchange

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Commentary to this article was published on 05 July 2014

Abstract

Background and aims

Liming is considered normal agricultural practise for remediating soil acidity and improving crop productivity; however recommended lime applications can reduce yield. We tested the hypothesis that elevated xylem sap Ca2+ limited gas exchange of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Pisum sativum L. plants that exhibited reduced shoot biomass and leaf area when limed.

Methods

We used Scholander and whole-plant pressure chamber techniques to collect root and leaf xylem sap, a calcium-specific ion-selective electrode to measure xylem sap Ca2+, infra-red gas analysis to measure gas exchange of limed and unlimed (control) plants, and a detached leaf transpiration bioassay to determine stomatal sensitivity to Ca2+.

Results

Liming reduced shoot biomass, leaf area and leaf gas exchange in both species. Root xylem sap Ca2+ concentration was only increased in P. vulgaris and not in P. sativum. Detached leaves of both species required 5 mM Ca2+ supplied to via the transpiration stream to induce stomatal closure, however, maximum in vivo xylem sap Ca2+ concentrations of limed plants was only 1.7 mM and thus not high enough to influence stomata.

Conclusion

We conclude that an alternative xylem-borne antitranspirant other than Ca2+ decreases gas exchange of limed plants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atkinson CJ (1991) The influence of increasing rhizospheric calcium on the ability of Lupinus luteus L. to control water use efficiency. New Phytol 119:207–215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson CJ, Mansfield TA, Davies WJ (1990) Does calcium in xylem sap regulate stomatal conductance. New Phytol 116:19–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson CJ, Ruiz LP, Mansfield TA (1992) Calcium in xylem sap and the regulation of its delivery to the shoot. J Exp Bot 43:1315–1324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bavaresco L, Poni S (2003) Effect of calcareous soil on photosynthesis rate, mineral nutrition, and source-sink ratio of table grape. J Plant Nutr 26:2123–2135

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bolan NS, Adriano DC, Curtin D (2003) Soil acidification and liming interactions with nutrient and heavy metal transformation and bioavailability. In: In Adv Agron, 78th edn. Academic Press Inc, San Diego, pp 215–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Buerkert A, Cassman KG, Delapiedra R, Munns DN (1990) Soil acidity and liming effects on stand, nodulation, and yield of common bean. Agron J 82:749–754

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carran RA (1991) Calcium magnesium imbalance in clovers - a cause of negative yield response to liming. Plant Soil 134:107–114

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cerda A, Caro M, Fernandez FG (1982) Salt tolerance of two pea cultivars. Agron J 74:796–798

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chambers BJ, Garwood TWD (1998) Lime loss rates from arable and grassland soils. J Agric Sci 131:455–464

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chino M (1981) Species differences in calcium and potassium distributions within plant roots. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 27:487–503

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clarkson DT (1984) Calcium transport between tissues and its distribution in the plant. Plant Cell Environ 7:449–456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Silva DLR, Mansfield TA (1994) The stomatal physiology of calcicoles in relation to calcium delivered in the xylem sap. Proc R Soc Ser B-Bio 257:81–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Silva DLR, Hetherington AM, Mansfield TA (1985) Synergism between calcium-ions and abscisic-acid in preventing stomatal opening. New Phytol 100:473–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DEFRA (2010) Fertiliser Manual (RB209). TSO, Norwich

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodd IC (2005) Root-to-shoot signalling: Assessing the roles of ‘up’ in the up and down world of long-distance signalling in planta. Plant Soil 274:251–270

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dodd IC, Tan LP, He J (2003) Do increases in xylem sap pH and/or ABA concentration mediate stomatal closure following nitrate deprivation? J Exp Bot 54:1281–1288

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dodd IC, Ngo C, Turnbull CGN, Beveridge CA (2004) Effects of nitrogen supply on xylem cytokinin delivery, transpiration and leaf expansion of pea genotypes differing in xylem-cytokinin concentration. Funct Plant Biol 31:903–911

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Else MA, Hall KC, Arnold GM, Davies WJ, Jackson MB (1995) Export of abscisic-acid, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, phosphate, and nitrate from roots to shoots of flooded tomato plants - Accounting for effects of xylem sap flow-rate on concentration and delivery. Plant Physiol 107:377–384

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farhoodi A, Coventry DR (2008) Field crop responses to lime in the mid-north region of South Australia. Field Crop Res 108:45–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gollan T, Passioura JB, Munns R (1986) Soil water status affects the stomatal conductance of fully turgid wheat and sunflower leaves. Aust J Plant Physiol 13:459–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gollan T, Schurr U, Schulze ED (1992) Stomatal response to drying soil in relation to changes in the xylem sap composition of Helianthus annuus.1. The concentration of cations, anions, amino-acids in, and pH of the xylem sap. Plant Cell Environ 15:551–559

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goodger JQD, Sharp RE, Marsh EL, Schachtman DP (2005) Relationships between xylem sap constituents and leaf conductance of well-watered and water-stressed maize across three xylem sap sampling techniques. J Exp Bot 56:2389–2400

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goulding K, Jarvis S, Whitmore A (2008) Optimizing nutrient management for farm systems. Philos Trans R Soc B 363:667–680

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Graham PH, Vance CP (2003) Legumes: Importance and constraints to greater use. Plant Physiol 131:872–877

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haynes RJ (1983) Soil acidification induced by leguminous crops. Grass Forage Sci 38:1–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson MB (1993) Are plant hormones involved in root to shoot communication. Adv Bot Res 19:103–187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawlor DW (1995) Photosynthesis, productivity and environment. J Exp Bot 46:1449–1461

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang JS, Zhang JH (1997) Collection of xylem sap at flow rate similar to in vivo transpiration flux. Plant Cell Physiol 38:1375–1381

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maas EV (1985) Crop tolerance to saline sprinkling water. Plant Soil 89:273–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mansfield TA, Atkinson CJ (1990) Control of stomatal behaviour. British Soc Plant Growth Regulation, Bristol, pp 71–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsuyama N, Saigusa M, Sakaiya E, Tamakawa K, Oyamada Z, Kudo K (2005) Acidification and soil productivity of allophanic Andosols affected by heavy application of fertilizers. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 51:117–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell TMR, Moir JL, Edwards GR (2012) Sulphur and lime response of four adventive annual clovers grown in a New Zealand high country soil under glasshouse conditions. N Z J Agric Res 55:47–62

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McAinsh MR, Brownlee C, Hetherington AM (1990) Abscisic acid-induced elevation of guard cell cytosolic Ca2+ precedes stomatal closure. Nature 343:186–188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McAinsh MR, Brownlee C, Hetherington AM (1991) Partial inhibition of ABA-induced stomatal closure by calcium-channel blockers. Proc R Soc Ser B-Bio 243:195–201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLaughlin SB, Wimmer R (1999) Tansley Review No. 104 - Calcium physiology and terrestrial ecosystem processes. New Phytol 142:373–417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munns R (1985) Na+, K+ and Cl− in xylem sap flowing to shoots of NaCl-treated barley. J Exp Bot 36:1032–1042

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Netting AG, Theobald JC, Dodd IC (2012) Xylem sap collection and extraction methodologies to determine in vivo concentrations of ABA and its bound forms by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Plant Methods 8:11

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peuke AD (2010) Correlations in concentrations, xylem and phloem flows, and partitioning of elements and ions in intact plants. A summary and statistical re-evaluation of modelling experiments in Ricinus communis. J Exp Bot 61:635–655

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pretty J (2008) Agricultural sustainability: concepts, principles and evidence. Philos Trans R Soc B 363:447–465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz LP, Mansfield TA (1994) A postulated role for calcium oxalate in the regulation of calcium ions in the vicinity of stomatal guard cells. New Phytol 127:473–481

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz LP, Atkinson CJ, Mansfield TA (1993) Calcium in the xylem and its influence on the behavior of stomata. Philos Trans R Soc B 341:67–74

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schurr U (1998) Xylem sap sampling - new approaches to an old topic. Trends Plant Sci 3:293–298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schurr U, Schulze ED (1995) The concentration of xylem sap constituents in root exudate, and in sap from intact, transpiring castor bean plants (Ricinus communis l.). Plant Cell Environ 18:409–420

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sumner ME, Yamada T (2002) Farming with acidity. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 33:2467–2496

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sumner ME, Farina PMW, Hurst VJ (1978) Magnesium fixation - possible cause of negative yield responses to lime applications. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 9:995–1007

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang C, Turner NC (1999) The influence of alkalinity and water stress on the stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate and growth of Lupinus angustifolius L. and Lupinus pilosus Murr. Aust J Exp Agric 39:457–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tiekstra AE, Else MA, Jackson MB (2000) External pressures based on leaf water potentials do not induce xylem sap to flow at rates of whole plant transpiration from roots of flooded or well-drained tomato and maize plants. Impact of shoot hydraulic resistances. Ann Bot 86:665–674

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tyler G, Olsson T (2001) Concentrations of 60 elements in the soil solution as related to the soil acidity. Eur J Soil Sci 52:151–165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vonuexkull HR, Mutert E (1995) Global extent, development and economic-impact of acid soils. Plant Soil 171:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • White PJ (2001) The pathways of calcium movement to the xylem. J Exp Bot 52:891–899

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White PJ (2012) Ion uptake mechanisms of individual cells and roots: Short-distance transport. In: Marschner P (ed) Mineral Nutrition of Higher plants, 3rd edn. Academic Press, London, pp 7–47

  • White PJ, Broadley MR (2003) Calcium in plants. Ann Bot 92:487–511

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

SR thanks the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for award of a studentship in support of this work and Horiba UK Ltd are thanked for the kind donation of the calcium ion-selective electrode.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 4YQ, UK

    Shane A. Rothwell & Ian C. Dodd

Authors
  1. Shane A. Rothwell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ian C. Dodd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shane A. Rothwell.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Hans Lambers..

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(PDF 158 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rothwell, S.A., Dodd, I.C. Xylem sap calcium concentrations do not explain liming-induced inhibition of legume gas exchange. Plant Soil 382, 17–30 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2118-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2118-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation