Aluminium induced acid phosphatase activity in roots of Al-sensitive and Al-tolerant barley varieties

Abstract

In barley roots significant increase of acid phosphatase activity was observed during Al treatment. Especially steep increase was found in the roots of Al-sensitive cv. Alfor treated with Al in the range of 1-10mM which was followed by sudden decline when higher concentration (10-100mM) was applied. Continual, but significantly lower increase in phosphatase activity was also demonstrated in the roots of Al-tolerant cv. Bavaria in the range of 1-50mM Al. In both cases, Al-induced increase of acid phosphatase activity was accompanied by the increase in the amount of one phosphatase isoforme. Contrary to cv. Alfor where Al-induced changes reached their maximum in the first day of Al treatment in the Al-tolerant cv. Bavaria slight increase continued also on the second day of Al treatment. Our results indicate that different behaviour of acid phosphatase enzyme in barley cultivars during Al stress may play an important function in coping by the plants with Al induced phosphate deficiency syndrome.