Phosphorus applied to the root half without Al3+ exposure can alleviate Al toxicity on the other root half of the same eucalyptus seedling. (23rd December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kang, Yachao; Zhu, Shidan; Li, Guoyong; Jiang, Yanbo; Teng, Weichao; Luo, Man; Wei, Jie; Cao, Feng; Wang, Zhuo; Huang, Jie
• Is Part Of: Journal of plant nutrition. Volume 44:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: 829
• Page End: 844
• Publication Date: 2020-12-23
• Subjects: alleviate -- aluminum -- eucalyptus -- phosphorus; Plants -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Plants -- Effect of minerals on -- Periodicals; Deficiency diseases in plants -- Periodicals; 575.76
• DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2020.1867579
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-4167

Abstract

Abstract: Approximately 30% of the world's land area is acidic soil (pH < 5.5), and aluminum (Al) toxicity and phosphorus (P) deficiency are two main constraints of plant growth in acidic soil. However, direct application of P fertilizer to acidic soil can form insoluble Al–P precipitates, thus reducing P availability. We used a split-root technique to experimentally investigate whether Eucalyptus seedlings can translocate P from root halves with no Al stress to root halves experiencing Al stress, thus ameliorating the Al toxicity of the latter. The results revealed that P application led to fixation of Al in the form of an Al–P precipitate in sand, thus relieving Al toxicity. In addition, the application of P increased the nutritive P supply and alleviated P deficiency within the plant. In Eucalyptus seedlings, increased P application to the root half without Al 3+ exposure alleviated Al toxicity in the other root half. The extent of resistance to Al stress depended on the genotype of the Eucalyptus seedlings. Based on our findings, P can be applied to areas not only through roots, but also by other methods, such as leaf fertilization or application of nutrient solutions to the trunk, preferably avoiding the formation of Al–P precipitates in the soil.