Regional rye populations and wheat cultivars/lines were screened for alumin
um tolerance using the hematoxylin staining method. Portuguese regional rye
populations showed better tolerance than the Polish cv. Dank. Zlote, used
as tolerant tester. In the group of bread wheats, EPM 305/81, a Barbela res
election, was the most tolerant genotype with the same behaviour as the cv.
BH 1146, a tolerant tester. In a study with lines selected from a local Ba
rbela landrace, aluminum tolerance variability was detected. Some lines wer
e as tolerant, or higher, as wheat tester. As Portuguese rye populations an
d the Barbela wheat landrace have grown for centuries on an acid soil regio
n, the data supports the idea that natural biotic or abiotic stresses assoc
iated to man selection, lead to the adaptation of genotypes to specific reg
ional conditions and, in this case, to acid soils where aluminum toxicity o
ccurs.