A critical analysis of the causes of boron toxicity in plants

Abstract

This study investigated the main factors contributing to boron toxicity in plants. Growth was rapidly inhibited by internal B concentrations in the range 1-5 mM across a range of plant types that included monocot, dicot and algal species. In contrast, mature cells were able to withstand up to 60 mM B for several days. In wheat, rapid inhibition of root growth occurred if high B was applied to the root tip, but not if high B was applied to mature sections of the root. In leaves, there were gradations in B concentrations that correlated with visible symptoms of toxicity. However, there was no evidence to support the hypothesis that toxicity in leaves is due to osmotic stress induced by the accumulation of B. Analysis of the sensitivity to B of a range of metabolic processes including photosynthesis, respiration and protein synthesis leads to the conclusion that growth is not restricted by effects of B on energy supply and not directly by inhibition of protein synthesis. At higher B concentrations, many cellular activities were found to be partially inhibited and the toxicity to mature tissues was therefore considered not to arise from the disruption of a single process, but from the accumulated retardation of many cellular processes, exacerbated in light by photooxidative stress.