Influence of aluminium on mineral nutrients of rice seedlings grown in solution culture

Solution culture studies were carried out on rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings to evaluate the influence of aluminium on P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations. No toxicity symptoms and reduction in plant dry matter yield was observed even up to 320 μg ml⁻¹ Al in nutrient solution. Al concentrations of 10 μg ml⁻¹ and above significantly reduced shoot Al concentrations, whereas, the reverse trend was noticed with respect to root Al. Higher Al treatments of 80–320 μg ml⁻¹ stabilized the pH of nutrient solution to about 4.8 – 5.0 during the period of 14 days of plant growth resulting into significantly higher accumulation of Al in rice roots. In general, concentrations of all the nutrients except K in roots were reduced with increasing solution concentrations of Al; whereas, effect of Al on concentration of different nutrients in rice shoot was varied, while Al concentrations of 40–320 μg ml⁻¹ significantly reduced the shoot concentrations of P, Ca, Zn and Mn, the reduction in Cu concentration was noticed only at 160 and 320 μg ml⁻¹ and no variations were obtained with respect to Fe and Mg concentrations. However, enhancement in the shoot concentration of K was noticed at 40–320 μg ml⁻¹ Al as compared to control.