Evaluation of Aluminum Sensitivity in Barrel Medic Germplasm

Abstract

Aluminum (Al) toxicity in acid soils is a major constraint to global agricultural production, affecting ≈30% of the world’s arable land area. To study Al tolerance in barrel medic (Medicago truncatula), we assessed responses to excess Al in 91 accessions collected from different geographic regions. Root elongations were used to characterize the sensitivity of each accession. Seedlings were grown in an agarose medium that contained three levels of Al (50, 100, and 200 µm), and root elongation was measured at 72 hours after exposure to Al. The ratio of root elongation in the presence and absence of Al [relative root growth (RRG)] differed among accessions. At 50 µm Al, we observed the greatest range of intraspecific variation. Aluminum sensitivity of 30 accessions was tested further by hematoxylin staining. Relative root growth was regressed linearly against the visual staining score, and a significant, negative, linear relationship was found between RRG at 50 or 100 µm Al and the intensity of staining scores. Twelve selected accessions differing in their resistance were grown in Al-toxic soil to confirm their Al response. Such information could be useful in breeding or selecting for improved Al tolerance in barrel medic, as well as other crop species.