Aluminum Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants

Aluminum (Al) is the most abundant metal in the earths crust, comprising about 7% of its mass. Since many plant species are sensitive to micromolar concentrations of Al, the potential for soils to be A1 toxic is considerable. Fortu- nately, most of the A1 is bound by ligands or occurs in other nonphytotoxic forms such as aluminosilicates and precip- itates. However, solubilization of this A1 is enhanced by low pH and A1 toxicity is a major factor limiting plant production on acid soils. Soil acidification can develop naturally when basic cations are leached from soils, but it can be accelerated by some farming practices and by acid rain (Kennedy, 1986). Strategies to maintain production on these soils include the application of lime to raise the soil pH and the use of plants that are tolerant of acid soils. Although A1 toxicity has been identified as a problem of acid soils for over 70 years, our knowledge about the primary sites of toxicity and the chain of events that finally affects plant growth remains largely speculative. In this paper we review recent progress that has been made in our understanding of A1 toxicity and the mechanisms of A1 tolerance in plants.