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Article Addendum

Root mucilage enhances aluminum accumulation in Melastoma malabathricum, an aluminum accumulator

Toshihiro Watanabe, Seiji Misawa, Syuntaro Hiradate and Mitsuru Osaki

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Root mucilage is gelatinous polysaccharide-containing material exuded from the outer layers of the root cap. Although mucilage has been suggested to play several roles in plant growth, its role in mineral uptake has not been well understood. Melastoma malabathricum L. is an aluminum (Al) accumulator growing in tropical acid soils. This species accumulates more than 10 mg Al g-1 DW in leaves and roots. Root mucilage is generally known to immobilize metal cations such as Al in the rhizosphere. However, we found that roots of M. malabathricum exuded large amounts of mucilage. Using the Zea mays L. mucilage as a control, we have recently shown that mucilage of M. malabathricum has unique physical and chemical characteristics, and facilitates Al uptake in this species. Since M. malabathricum cannot grow well in Al-deficient soil (nonacid soils), this species might have developed a mechanism for Al acquisition. We have also discussed the reason for this species' requirement of Al, a nonessential element.

Addendum to: Watanabe T, Misawa S, Hiradate S, Osaki M. Characterization of root mucilage from Melastoma malabathricum, with emphasis on its roles in aluminum accumulation. New Phytol 2008;178:581-9.

Authors

Toshihiro Watanabe

Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9, Nishi 9, Kitaku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan

Seiji Misawa

Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9, Nishi 9, Kitaku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan

Syuntaro Hiradate

National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, 3-1-3 Kan-nondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8604, Japan

Mitsuru Osaki

Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9, Nishi 9, Kitaku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan

Purchase article for $19

Subscribe to this journal for $79/year