Tolerance of Phalaris aquatica L. lines and some other agricultural species to excess manganese, and the effect of aluminium on manganese tolerance in P. aquatica

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Tolerance to excess manganese in 13 Mediterranean accessions and 3 Australian cultivars of phalaris was determined in solution culture with manganese concentrations from 0.5 to 210 ppm. The effect of aluminium (0, 2.5, 5-0 ppm) on the response of two accessions to excess manganese was studied in a second experiment. Phalaris was very tolerant to excess manganese. Shoot yield at 150 ppm manganese ranged from 25 to 50% of the maximum yield, which was achieved at 0.5 ppm in some lines and at 40 ppm in others. The cultivars Australian and Sirosa were among the most tolerant types. With one exception, Algerian accessions were the least tolerant. These accessions were of similar tolerance to Egret, the most tolerant wheat cultivar examined. All phalaris lines were much more tolerant than Isis wheat, Clipper barley, Woogenellup subterranean clover and Jumbuck rape. Variation in tolerance of high internal manganese levels was the principal determinant of relative tolerance within phalaris. Shoot manganese concentrations causing 10% yield reduction ranged from 730 to 2200 8g g-1 dry wt. The greater tolerance of phalaris compared with the other species was due to lower manganese uptake and higher internal tolerance. Presence of aluminium in the solution did not increase the susceptibility of phalaris to manganese toxicity. Aluminium strongly reduced manganese uptake in phalaris. It is concluded that selection for manganese tolerance need be only of low priority in developing a phalaris cultivar with improved tolerance of acid soils.