Aluminium is essential for root growth and development of tea plants (Camellia sinensis)

• Published in: Journal of integrative plant biology Vol. 62; no. 7; pp. 984 - 997
• Main Authors: Sun, Lili, Zhang, Mengshi, Liu, Xiaomei, Mao, Qianzhuo, Shi, Chen, Kochian, Leon V., Liao, Hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China (Republic : 1949- ) Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2020; Root Biology Center, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China%Vector-Borne Virus Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China%Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 4J8, Canada; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Acidic soils; aluminium; Aluminum; Aluminum - pharmacology; Camellia sinensis; Camellia sinensis - drug effects; Camellia sinensis - growth & development; Camellia sinensis - ultrastructure; Cell Nucleus - drug effects; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Cytosol; Damage; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Deprivation; DNA; DNA Damage; DNA, Plant - metabolism; dose response; essential; Flowers & plants; growth and development; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Indigenous plants; Indigenous species; Integrity; meristem; Meristem - drug effects; Meristem - growth & development; Meristems; minerals; Molecular Physiology; Nuclei; Nuclei (cytology); Plant growth; Plant Roots - drug effects; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Roots - ultrastructure; Plant species; Protons; root; root growth; root meristems; Roots; Soils; Structural analysis; Tea; Tips; aluminium; tea; meristem; root; essential
• ISSN: 1672-9072; 1744-7909; 1744-7909
• DOI: 10.1111/jipb.12942

On acid soils, the trivalent aluminium ion (Al3+) predominates and is very rhizotoxic to most plant species. For some native plant species adapted to acid soils including tea (Camellia sinensis), Al3+ has been regarded as a beneficial mineral element. In this study, we discovered that Al3+ is actually essential for tea root growth and development in all the tested varieties. Aluminum ion promoted new root growth in five representative tea varieties with dose‐dependent responses to Al3+ availability. In the absence of Al3+, the tea plants failed to generate new roots, and the root tips were damaged within 1 d of Al deprivation. Structural analysis of root tips demonstrated that Al was required for root meristem development and activity. In situ morin staining of Al3+ in roots revealed that Al mainly localized to nuclei in root meristem cells, but then gradually moved to the cytosol when Al3+ was subsequently withdrawn. This movement of Al3+ from nuclei to cytosols was accompanied by exacerbated DNA damage, which suggests that the nuclear‐targeted Al primarily acts to maintain DNA integrity. Taken together, these results provide novel evidence that Al3+ is essential for root growth in tea plants through maintenance of DNA integrity in meristematic cells. Ionic aluminium (Al3+) has been known to be rhizotoxic to most plant species. However, we demonstrate that Al3+ is essential for tea root growth and development through maintenance of DNA integrity in meristematic cells.