Aluminium-induced drought and oxidative stress in barley roots.

The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between Al accumulation in root tissues, root growth inhibition, root water content, cell viability and expression of oxidative and drought stress-related genes in barley roots growing on the filter paper. Al-induced root growth inhibition correlated with Al uptake and cell death. Water content of Al-treated root represented only half of the control one. The expression of the dehydrin gene dhn4, which is a marker for drought stress in plant tissues, was strongly induced during Al stress. Al treatment also induced expression of oxidative stress-related genes such as glutathione peroxidase (gpx), pathogen-related peroxidase (prx8), glutathione reductase (gr) and dehydroascorbate reductase (dhar). The present results suggest correlation between Al uptake, Al-induced drought stress, oxidative stress, cell death and root growth inhibition.