Aluminium toxicity effects on growth, pigments, lipid peroxidation and protein content in two citrus species

The effects of aluminium toxicity on two citrus species – Rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri) and Samphola, a wild species, were evaluated in a sand culture experiment for 20 days. One month old seedlings were subjected to 3 concentrations of AlCl3.6H2O viz., 600 µM, 1200 µM and 1800 µM with untreated pots monitored as control. After 20 days of exposure, aluminium induced toxicity decreased shoot and root length, dry weight, relative water content, chlorophylls and total soluble protein of both citrus species. However, alterations in these parameters were more distinct in higher Al doses wherein Rough lemon exhibited greater decline than compared to Samphola. The peroxidation of lipids, however, significantly elevated in both citrus species with Rough lemon exhibiting higher levels of lipid peroxidation than Samphola. Therefore, with respect to these parameters, our results show that Samphola is comparatively more tolerant to aluminium toxicity than Rough lemon.