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Aluminium tolerance of root hairs underlies genotypic differences in rhizosheath size of wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) grown on acid soil
Author(s) -
Delhaize Emmanuel,
James Richard A.,
Ryan Peter R.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04183.x
Subject(s) - root hair , biology , botany , soil ph , gene , soil water , horticulture , agronomy , genetics , ecology
Summary• We found significant genetic variation in the ability of wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) to form rhizosheaths on acid soil and assessed whether differences in aluminium (Al 3+ ) tolerance of root hairs between genotypes was the physiological basis for this genetic variation. • A method was developed to rapidly screen rhizosheath size in a range of wheat genotypes. Backcrossed populations were generated from cv Fronteira (large rhizosheath) using cv EGA‐Burke (small rhizosheath) as the recurrent parent. • A positive correlation existed between rhizosheath size on acid soil and root hair length. In hydroponic experiments, root hairs of the backcrossed lines with large rhizosheaths were more tolerant of Al 3+ toxicity than the backcrossed lines with small rhizosheaths. • We conclude that greater Al 3+ tolerance of root hairs underlies the larger rhizosheath of wheat grown on acid soil. Tolerance of the root hairs to Al 3+ was largely independent of the TaALMT1 gene which suggests that different genes encode the Al 3+ tolerance of root hairs. The maintenance of longer root hairs in acid soils is important for the efficient uptake of water and nutrients.