RESISTANCE MECHANISMS OF ALUMINUM (Al3+) PHYTOTOXICITY IN CEREALS: PHYSIOLOGICAL, GENETIC AND MOLECULAR BASES

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is one of the main factors limiting crop productivity in acid soils around the world. In cereals, this problem can affect between 30 and 40% of crop yields. One way to reduce the toxic effect of Al is to neutralize the acidity with calcareous amendments. However, this practice is demanding and not very effective. An alternative is the search for genetic variability in the genome of cropping grasses and/or their wild relatives to resist Al. The development of biotechnology and molecular genetics approach has facilitated the understanding of the physiological, genetic and molecular bases in the process of ameliorating these species. This review presents the main physiological mechanisms of Al resistance and the genetic and molecular bases that explain the degree of resistance between different cereals species.