Magnesium is more efficient than calcium in alleviating aluminum rhizotoxicity in soybean and its ameliorative effect is not explained by the Gouy-Chapman-Stern model

The mechanistic basis for cation amelioration of Al rhizotoxicity in soybea n was investigated through a series of studies comparing protective effects of Ca and Mg against Al inhibition of root elongation in a background 0.8 mM CaSO4 solution (pH 4.3), A modified Gouy-Chapman-Stern model was used to evaluate the effect of cations on electrical potential and Al3+ activity a t root plasma membrane surfaces, Activities of Al3+ up to 4.6 muM in the ba ckground solution inhibited soybean tap root elongation by more than 80%, T here was little or no response in root elongation when Ca and Mg were added to background solutions in the absence of Al. When added to Al-toxic solut ions in the micromolar concentration range, Mg was 100-fold more effective than Ca in alleviating Al toxicity, whereas both cations were equally effec tive when added in the millimolar concentration range. The protective effec t of micromolar additions of Mg on root elongation was specific for Al and it failed to alleviate La rhizotoxicity, In contrast to wheat, Mg ameliorat ion of Al toxicity to soybean root elongation at low Mg concentration could not be explained by changes in potential and Al3+ activity at the root pla sma membrane surfaces as predicted by a Gouy-Chapman-Stern model, These res ults suggest that Mg is not acting as an indifferent cation when present at low concentration and implies the involvement of a mechanism other than pu re electrostatic effects at the root surface.