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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #361776
Research Project: Genetic and Genomic Characterization of Crop Resistance to Soil-based Abiotic Stresses

Location: Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research

Title: A unique aluminum resistance mechanism conferred by aluminum and salicylic-acid-activated root efflux of benzoxazinoids in maize

Author
item ZHAO, ZUNKANG - Guangxi University
item GAO, XIAOFENG - Guangxi University
item KE, YE - Guangxi University
item CHANG, MINMIN - Guangxi University
item XIE, LU - Guangxi University
item LI, XIAOFENG - Guangxi University
item GU, MINGHUA - Guangxi University
item TANG, XINLIAN - Guangxi University
item Liu, Jiping

Submitted to: Plant and Soil
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/31/2019
Publication Date: 2/13/2019
Citation: Zhao, Z., Gao, X., Ke, Y., Chang, M., Xie, L., Li, X., Gu, M., Tang, X., Liu, J. 2019. A unique aluminum resistance mechanism conferred by aluminum and salicylic-acid-activated root efflux of benzoxazinoids in maize. Plant and Soil. 437:273-289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-03971-9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-03971-9

Interpretive Summary: Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major constraint for crop growth and yield on acid soils. Therefore, understanding how plants cope with Al stresses is critical for crop production on acid soils. Plants have evolved an exclusion tolerance mechanism to fight against Al stresses via root exudation of organic matters. Maize is the most important cereal crop in the US and Al resistance is an important trait for maize plants grown on acid soils. However, the exclusion mechanisms underlying Al resistance in maize remain unknown. Here we report on the identification of a unique exclusion mechanism via root exudation of benzoxazinoids in maize. Our findings could provide a guideline for development of molecular tools for breeding maize cultivars with enhanced resistance to Al stress and enhanced yields on acid soils.

Technical Abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated that Al-activated root exudation of organic acid could not account for Al resistance between the tolerant and sensitive maize lines. However, the mechanisms underlying the Al exclusion mechanism in maize remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that Al and salicylic acid (SA)-activated root exudation of benzoxazinoids underlies the Al exclusion mechanism in maize.