Aluminum effects on plant and nutrient uptake parameters of soil and solution grown sorghum genotypes

Abstract

Recently, controlled environmental screening techniques have been preferred to field trials to identify sorghum genotypes that can tolerate aluminum (Al) stress. Soil and solution culture experiments were undertaken under greenhouse conditions to evaluate the effect of Al on plant growth and nutrient uptake parameters of three sorghum genotypes: 1) SC283, 2) BR003R, and 3) BR007B. Earlier field studies indicated that the order of tolerance to Al decreased from genotype 1 to 3. A dark red latosol was used with seven levels of dolomitic lime (0, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 t/ha) and solution culture with seven levels of Al (0, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30, 0.60, and 1.20 mmol/L). Plant growth (shoot and root weight; root length; specific root length, SRL; and relative shoot and root growth reduction, RGR) and nutrient uptake (total uptake; influx; nutrient efficiency ratio, ER; and percent of nutrient inhibition, PI) parameters were influenced similarly by Al in solution culture and soil experiment. Significant differences were observed for genotype‐?? interactions and there was a stimulating effect, among genotypes, by low Al concentrations (up to 0.15 mmol/L). However, the plant growth and nutrient uptake parameters were negatively affected by Al stress. The performance of the genotypes in relation to Al tolerance in both solution and soil experiments was the same as observed in the field: SC283 > BR003R > BR007B.