Abstract
The influence of Si pretreatment on Al toxicity in an Al sensitive maize variety (Zea mays L. var. BR 201 F) was investigated using root elongation rates (RER) and hematoxylin staining as stress indicators. Plants pretreated with 1 mt M Si (+ Si) and then exposed for 24 h to Al in nutrient solution without concurrent Si supply in the rooting medium exhibited higher RER than plants that were not pretreated with Si (-Si). The ameliorative effect of Si was due to lower Al uptake and to the exclusion of Al from the root tips in + Si plants. Lower Al uptake in + Si plants was not a consequence of decreased Al availability in the bulk solution. The possible mechanisms of Si-induced increase of Al resistance are discussed
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barceló J, Guevara P and Poschenrieder Ch 1993 Silicon amelioration of aluminium toxicity in teosinte (Zea maysL. ssp. mexicana). Plant Soil 154, 249-255.
Baylis A D, Gragapoulou C, Davidson K J and Birchall J D 1994 Effects of silicon on the toxicity of aluminium to soybean. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 25, 537-546.
Birchall J D and Chapell J S 1988 The solution chemistry of aluminium and silicon and its biological significance. InGeochemistry and Health. Ed. I Thornton. pp 231-242. Science Reviews Ltd, Northwood.
Epstein E 1994 The anomaly of silicon in plant biology. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 11-17.
Foy C D, Chaney R L and White MC 1978 The physiology of metal toxicity in plants. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 29, 511-566.
Galvez L, Clark R B, Gourley LM and Maranville JW 1987 Silicon interaction with manganese and aluminium toxicity in sorghum. J. Plant Nutr. 10, 1139-1147.
Gill G W, Frost J K and Miller K A 1974 A new formula for a half oxidized hematoxylin solution that neither overstains nor requires differentiation. Acta Cytol. 18, 300-311.
Hodson M J and Evans D E 1995 Aluminium/silicon interactions in higher plants. J. Exp. Bot. 46,161-171.
Hodson MJ and Sangster A G 1993 The interaction between silicon and aluminium in Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench: growth analysis and X-ray microanalysis. Ann. Bot. 72, 389-400.
Hodson M J and Wilkins D A 1991 Localization of aluminium in roots of Norway spruce (Picea abiesL. Karst.) inoculated with Paxillus involutosFr. New Phytol. 118, 273-278.
Horst W J 1995 The role of the apoplast in aluminium toxicity and resistance of higher plants: a review. Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenkd, 158, 419-428.
Horst W J and Marschner H 1978 Effect of silicon and manganese tolerance of bean plants (Phaseolis vulgarisL.) Plant Soil 50, 287-303.
Kinraide T B 1993 Aluminium enhancement of plant growth in acid rooting media. A case of reciprocal alleviation of toxicity by two toxic cations. Physiol. Plant. 88, 619-625.
Kinraide T B, Ryan P R and Kochian L V 1992 Interactive effects of A13+, H+, and other cations on root elongation considered in terms of cell-surface potential. Plant Physiol. 99, 1461-1468.
Llugany M, Poschenrieder Ch and Barceló J 1995 Monitoring of aluminium-induced inhibition of root elongation in four maize cultivars differing in tolerance to aluminium and proton toxicity. Physiol. Plant. 93, 265-271.
Marschner H, Oberle H, Cakmak I and Römheld V 1990 Growth enhancement by silicon in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants depends on imbalance in phophorus and zinc supply. InPlant Nutrition-Physiology and Applications. Ed. ML van Beusichem. pp 241 -249. Kluwer Academic Publ., Dordrecht.
Okuda A and Takahashi E 1965 The role of silicon. InMineral Nutrition of the Rice Plant. pp 123-146. Proc. Int. Conf Rice Res. Inst., Los Banos, Philippines. John Hopkins Press, Baltimore.
Ownby J D 1993 Mechanisms of reaction of hematoxylin with aluminium-treated wheat roots. Physiol. Plant. 87, 371-380.
Parker D R, Zelazny L W and Kinraide T B 1987 Improvements to the program GEOCHEM. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51, 488-491.
Pellet D M, Grunes D L and Kochian L V 1995 Organic acid exudation as an aluminum tolerance mechanism in maize (Zea maysL.). Planta 196, 788-795.
Polle E, Konzak C F and Littrik JA 1978 Visual detection of aluminium tolerance levels in wheat by hematoxylin staining of seedling roots. Crop Sci. 18, 823-827.
Van der Vorm P D J 1987 Dry ashing of plant material and disolution of ash in HF for the colorimetric determination of silicon. Commum. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 18, 1181-1189.
Wallace A 1992 Participation of silicon in cation-anion balance as a possible mechanism for aluminum and iron tolerance in some Gramineae. J. Plant Nutr. 15, 1345-1351.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Corrales, I., Poschenrieder, C. & Barceló, J. Influence of silicon pretreatment on aluminium toxicity in maize roots. Plant and Soil 190, 203–209 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004209828791
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004209828791