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Plant sciences, sustainable farming systems and food quality
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Response of representative cover crops to aluminum toxicity, phosphorus deprivation, and organic amendment

Frederico C. B. Vieira A B , Zhenli L. He A D , Patrick C. Wilson A , Cimélio Bayer B , Peter J. Stoffella A and Virupax C. Baligar C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Indian River Research and Education Centre, 2199 S. Rock Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA.

B Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, PO Box 15100, 91.501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

C USDA-ARS Sustainable Perennial Crop Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.

D Corresponding author. Email: zhe@ufl.edu

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 59(1) 52-61 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR07120
Submitted: 24 March 2007  Accepted: 4 September 2007   Published: 14 January 2008

Abstract

This study aimed to: (1) determine the effect of P depletion and presence of Al on root and shoot growth of representative cover crops, and on their nutrient uptake; (2) characterise the composition of root exudation under P and Al stress in nutrient solution; (3) evaluate the ability of aqueous extracts of composts in reducing Al phytotoxicity. Plants of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata), black oat (Avena strigosa), and lablab (Lablab purpureous) were cultivated in different nutrient solution compositions and concentrations for 3 weeks. It was found that Al at concentration of 20 and 200 µmol/L increased citrate exudation at least 8 and 24 times, respectively, for cowpea and 18 and 36 times, respectively, for lablab, as compared with the blank. However, no release of organic acids occurred due to P deprivation, suggesting that citrate exudation was a specific response to excess Al. No response in organic acid release was observed for black oat under the stress of P deficiency or Al toxicity. Although the presence of Al in solution did not significantly affect chlorophyll content in leaves, it decreased root and shoot weight, as well as root length, surface area, volume, and number of tips. Organic extracts alleviated aluminum toxicity, improving plant growth and ameliorating plant nutrition status. Yard waste extract was more effective in enhancing plant growth than GreenEdge extract in plants under Al stress.

Additional keywords: complexation, nutrient solution, organic acid exudation.


Acknowledgments

We thank Douglas J. Banks for his assistance with the analysis of plant and water samples, and Dr Ronald Barnett of the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Centre, Quincy, USA, for providing black oat seeds. This work was financed by CNPq (National Council of Research and Development, Brazil) and University of Florida. We also thank CNPq for the fellowships awarded to F. C. B. Vieira and C. Bayer. Florida Agricultural Experiment Station – Indian River Research and Education Centre Journal Series Number: R-110602.


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