Interaction of aluminium and drought stress on root growth and crop yield on acid soils

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 372; no. 1/2; pp. 3 - 25
• Main Authors: Yang, Zhong-Bao, Rao, Idupulapati Madhusudana, Horst, Walter Johannes
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-11-2013; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acid soils; Acidic soils; Acids; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Aluminum; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell walls; Climate change; Crop production; Crop yield; Crop yields; Crops; Dehydration; Drought; Drought resistance; Droughts; Ecology; Environmental aspects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Genotypes; Germany; Global climate; Growth; Growth (Plants); Hydroponics; Life Sciences; MARSCHNER REVIEW; Molecular biology; Nutrients; Phaseolus vulgaris; Phytotoxicity; Plant cells; Plant growth; Plant Physiology; Plant roots; Plant Sciences; Plants; Rainfall distribution; Root development; Root growth; Roots; Roots (Botany); Soil moisture; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil surfaces; Soil water; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; Stress analysis; Subsoils; Tropical environments; Water uptake; Germany; Root elongation; Aluminum toxicity; Cell-wall extension; Soil acidity; Cell-wall porosity; Phytohormone; Water relations; Growth; Toxicity; Water stress; Cell wall; Chemical properties; Cultivated plant; Drought; Elongation; Vegetals; Acid soil; Root; Interaction; Acidity; Aluminium; Physical properties; Extension; Vegetative apparatus; Yield; Porosity
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-012-1580-1

Background Aluminium (Al) toxicity and drought stress are two major constraints for crop production in the world, particularly in the tropics. The variation in rainfall distribution and longer dry spells in much of the tropics during the main growing period of crops are becoming increasingly important yield-limiting factors with the global climate change. As a result, crop genotypes that are tolerant of both drought and Al toxicity need to be developed. Scope The present review mainly focuses on the interaction of Al and drought on root development, crop growth and yield on acid soils. It summarizes evidence from our own studies and other published/related work, and provides novel insights into the breeding for the adaptation to these combined abiotic stresses. The primary symptom of Al phytotoxicity is the inhibition of root growth. The impeded root system will restrict the roots for exploring the acid subsoil to absorb water and nutrients which is particularly important under condition of low soil moisture in the surface soil under drought. Whereas drought primarily affects shoot growth, effects of phytotoxic Al on shoot growth are mostly secondary effects that are induced by Al affecting root growth and function, while under drought stress root growth may even be promoted. Much progress has recently been made in the understanding of the physiology and molecular biology of the interaction between Al toxicity and drought stress in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in hydroponics and in an Al-toxic soil. Conclusions Crops growing on acid soils yield less than their potential because of the poorly developed root system that limits nutrient and water uptake. Breeding for drought resistance must be combined with Al resistance, to assure that drought resistance is expressed adequately in crops grown on soils with acid Al-toxic subsoils.