title: Physiological and genetic analyses of aluminium tolerance in rice, focusing on root growth during germination.
abstract: Aluminium (Al) ion limits root growth of plants in acidic soils, and rice exhibits the highest level of Al-tolerance among graminous crops. To elucidate Al-tolerance mechanisms in rice, response to Al was compared between rice (Oryza sativa L., cv. Nipponbare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. ET8), focusing on seminal root growth at seedling stage and germination stage. At seedling stage, rice and wheat were similarly sensitive to Al in both dose- and time-dependent manner during a 24-h Al exposure. On the contrary, at germination stage, rice was more tolerant to Al than wheat, and wheat roots displayed the loss of plasma membrane integrity more extensively than rice. A rice mutant exhibiting Al hypersensitivity at germination stage was obtained by screening 42,840 R2 progeny derived from the regenerated R0 plants of Nipponbare and thereafter confirmation of the mutant phenotype in R3 progeny. At germination stage, root growth of the mutant was strongly inhibited in the presence of Al but not in the absence of Al. However, at seedling stage, root growth of the mutant and wild type was similarly tolerant to Al. Taken together, we conclude that rice possesses Al-tolerant function that is under genetic control and specifically operates for root growth at germination stage, making rice more tolerant to Al than wheat.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Bioresources, Okayama University, 2-20-1 Chuo, Kurashiki 710-0046, Japan. dns15510@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikui
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyao
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirochika
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity*; D018525:Germination; D012275:Oryza / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D014908:Triticum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum