Aluminum-induced secretion of organic acids from the root apex has been demonstrated to be one major AI resistance mechanism in plants. However, whether the organic acid concentration is high enough to detoxify AI in the growth medium is frequently questioned. The genotypes of AI-resistant wheat, Cassia tora L. and buckwheat secrete malate, citrate and oxalate, respectively. In the present study we found that at a 35% inhibition of root elongation, the AI activities in the solution were 10, 20, and 50 μM with the corresponding malate, citrate, and oxalate exudation at the rates of 15, 20 and 21 nmol/cm2 per 12 h, respectively, for the above three plant species. When exogenous organic acids were added to ameliorate AI toxicity, twofold and eightfold higher oxalate and malate concentrations were required to produce the equal effect by citrate. After the root apical cell walls were isolated and preincubated in 1 mM malate, oxalate or citrate solution overnight, the total amount of AI adsorbed to the cell walls all decreased significantly to a similar level, implying that these organic acids own an equal ability to protect the cell walls from binding AI. These findings suggest that protection of cell walls from binding AI by organic acids may contribute significantly to AI resistance.
