Abstract
The effects of toxic boron (B) concentrations on the growth of wheat genotypes at organ level and cellular level were investigated using excised root culture techniques. At the organ level, wheat genotypes differed for root elongation and lateral root development in response to toxic B concentrations. Genotypes classified as resistant from field studies had longer root axes and more lateral roots than sensitive or moderately sensitive genotypes, but there was no difference in axis elongation between sensitive and moderately sensitive genotypes. At the cellular level, callus production of root explants among genotypes still different at toxic B concentrations: resistant genotypes could produce more callus than sensitive or moderately sensitive genotypes. These results suggest that differences among genotypes in resistance to toxic B concentrations may be related to cell membrane permeability to B since they were also expressed in undifferentiated callus cells. The distinct and consistent differences among genotypes in response to B toxicity both at the organ level and at the cellular level could serve as a basis for selection in a breeding program. The methods were precise and efficient.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BrownJ C and JonesW E 1971 Differential transport of boron in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). Physiol. Plant. 25, 279–282.
CartwrightB, RathjenA J, SparrowD H B, PaullJ G and ZarcinasB A 1987 Boron tolerance in Australian varieties of wheat and barley. In Genetic Specificity of Mineral Nutrition in Plants. Eds. W HGabelman and B CLoughman pp 139–151. Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht.
EatonF M and BlairG Y 1935 Accumulation of boron by reciprocally grafted plants. Plant Physiol. 10, 411–422.
FergusonJ D 1963 The continuous culture of excised wheat roots. Physiol. Plant. 16, 585–595.
JonesH, TomosA D, LeighR A and JonesR G W 1983 Water-relation parameters of epidermal and cortical cells in the primary root of Triticum aestivum L. Planta 158, 230–236.
MehrotraO N, SrivastavaR D L and MishraP H 1980 Some observations on the relative tolerance of wheat genotypes to boron. Indian Agric. 24, 223–238.
MurashigeT and SkoogF 1962 A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol. Plant. 15, 473–497.
NableR O 1988 Resistance to boron toxicity amongst several barley and wheat cultivars: A preliminary examination of the resistance mechanism. Plant and Soil 112, 45–52.
PaullJ G, CartwrightB and RathjenA J 1988 Responses of wheat and barley genotypes to toxic concentrations of soil boron. Euphytica 39, 137–144.
RavenJ A 1980 Short- and long-distance transport of boric acid in plants. New Phytol. 84, 231–249.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Huang, C., Graham, R.D. Resistance of wheat genotypes to boron toxicity is expressed at the cellular level. Plant Soil 126, 295–300 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00012832
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00012832