Aluminum tolerance variability in rye and wheat Portuguese germplasm

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.