Role of exudation of organic acids and phosphate in aluminum tolerance of four tropical woody species

Abstract

Responses of Melaleuca leucadendra (L.) L., Melaleuca cajuputi Powell, Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth. and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. to aluminum (Al) toxicity at low pH are poorly understood. We investigated effects of low pH and exudation of ligands by roots on Al tolerance of these species. Seedlings were grown hydroponically in nutrient solutions at pH 4.2 or 3.5 containing AlCl3 at concentrations ranging from 0 to 4 mM Al. The presence of 4 mM Al at pH 3.5 depressed growth in all species. Growth depression was greatest in E. camaldulensis, least in A. auriculiformis. In the low Al treatment (0.5 mM Al), roots of M. cajuputi tended to have the highest Al concentration among species, whereas in the 4 mM Al treatment, the highest Al concentration was found in roots of E. camaldulensis. Aluminum application enhanced root exudation of citrate in all species, with the enhancement in M. cajuputi, M. leucadendra and A. auriculiformis being similar and much greater than in E. camaldulensis. Exudation of oxalate and phenolic compounds was greater in E. camaldulensis than in the other species. The presence of Al enhanced phosphate exudation in all species, particularly in A. auriculiformis. Acacia auriculiformis was tolerant to low pH, probably because the presence of an unknown substance increased the pH. Application of 0.38 mM Al alleviated the toxicity of the pH 3.5 treatment in E. camaldulensis and M. cajuputi, whereas low pH alleviated Al toxicity in A. auriculiformis. We conclude that exudation of ligands such as citrate and phosphate only partly accounts for interspecific differences in Al tolerance among the tropical woody plants studied, whereas the reciprocal alleviation of Al toxicity and low pH differed considerably among the species.