The Growth Response of Ecotypes of Holcus lanatus L. from Different Soil Types in Northwestern Europe to Phenolic Acids

Abstract

Phenolics are often discussed in relation to either allelopathy or to herbivory. This work, however, was undertaken to determine if phenolic acids benefit the growth of plants in very acid soils. We here report racial differences in the phenolic acid concentrations of the important plant species found in five sites within Central Scotland which covered a wide range in soil acidity from very acid (organic peats) to mildly acid (calcareous), and describe the racial differences in the growth response of Holcus lanatus L. to phenolic acids with increasing acidity. The total concentrations of phenolic acids in the ecotypes of important species were correlated with the total concentrations found in their respective soils. In general, the most phenolic-rich ecotypes of the five came from the organic acid soils (Flanders Moss [FM] and Sheriffmuir [SMB]). However, with the exception of ferulic acid which was a major component of both acid soils and their associated vegetation, individual simple phenolic acids extracted from either plants or soils were not consistently correlated. The addition of dry plant material collected from the five sites (0.5 g plant material 100 g^-1 soil) to the acid-organic Flanders Moss (FM) soil stimulated the growth of two ecotypes of Holcus (acid-mineral Sheriffmuir [SMM], calcareous Kinloch Rannoch [KR]) but the same litter addition in non-organic, less acidic or calcareous soil inhibited growth of these ecotypes. In hydroponic solutions, growth response of Flanders Moss (FM) and Kinloch Rannoch (KR) to pH and phenolic acid mixtures was interdependent: in acid solutions (pH 4.0) but not at pH 6.5 root elongation rates (RER) of both ecotypes, and shoot elongation rates (SER) of Flanders Moss (FM), increased after treatment with a mixture of seven commonly occurring phenolic acids.

Key words

Holcus lanatus L. - low pH tolerance - phenolic acids - phenolic acid mixtures - soil acidity

References

• 01 Balsberg Pahlsson,  A. M.. (1989);  Mineral nutrients, carbohydrates and phenolic compounds in leaves of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in southern Sweden as related to environmental factors.  Tree Physiology. 5 485-495
• 02 Baziramakenga,  R.,, Leroux,  G. D.,, and Simard,  R. R.. (1995);  Effects of benzoic and cinnamic acids on membrane permeability of soybean roots.  Journal of Chemical Ecology. 21 1271-1285
• 03 Bessho,  T., and Bell,  L. C.. (1992);  Soil solid and solution phase changes and mung bean response during amelioration of aluminium toxicity with organic matter.  Plant and Soil. 140 183-196
• 04 Bending,  G. D., and Read,  D. J.. (1996);  Effects of the soluble polyphenol tannic acid on the activities of ericoid and ectomycorrhizal fungi.  Soil Biology Biochemistry. 28 1595-1602
• 05 Blum,  U.. (1996);  Allelopathic interactions involving phenolic acids.  Journal of Nematology. 28 259-267
• 06 Blum,  U.. (1997);  Benefits of citrate over EDTA for extracting phenolic acids from soils and plant debris.  Journal of Chemical Ecology. 23 347-362
• 07 Blum,  U.,, Worsham,  A. D.,, King,  L. D.,, and Gerig,  T. M.. (1994);  Use of water and EDTA extractions to estimate available (free and reversibly bound) phenolic acids in cecil soils.  Journal of Chemical Ecology. 20 341-359
• 08 Box,  J. D.. (1983);  Investigation of the Folin-Ciocalteau phenol reagent for the determination of polyphenolic substances in natural waters.  Water Research. 17 511-525
• 09 Chaney,  R. L., and Bell,  P. F.. (1987);  Complexity of iron nutrition: lessons for plant-soil interaction research.  Journal of Plant Nutrition. 10 963-994
• 10 Glyphis,  J. P., and Puttick,  G. M.. (1989);  Phenolics, nutrition, and insect herbivory in some garrique and maquis plant species.  Oceologia. 78 259-263
• 11 Hoagland,  D. R., and Arnon,  D. I.. (1950) The Water-Culture Method for Growing Plants without Soil. Californian Agricultural Station, number 347
• 12 Johnston,  W. R., and Proctor,  J.. (1981);  Growth of serpentine and non-serpentine ecotypes of Festuca rubra in solutions simulating the chemical conditions in a toxic serpentine soil.  Journal of Ecology. 69 855-869
• 13 Kidd,  P. S.. (1998) Aspects of soil acidity and their effect on plant growth. University of Stirling, Scotland; Ph.D. thesis
• 14 Kuiters,  A. T.. (1989);  Effects of phenolic acids on germination and early growth of herbaceous woodland plants.  Journal of Chemical Ecology. 15 467-479
• 15 Kuiters,  A. T.. (1990);  Role of phenolic substances from decomposing forest litter in plant-soil interactions.  Acta Botanica Neerlandica. 39 329-348
• 16 Kuiters,  A. T., and Denneman,  C. A. J.. (1987);  Water-soluble phenolic substances in soils under several coniferous and deciduous tree species.  Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 18 475-480
• 17 Kuiters,  A. T., and Sarink,  H. M.. (1986);  Leaching of phenolic compounds from leaf and needle litter of several deciduous and coniferous trees.  Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 18 475-480
• 18 Kuiters,  A. T., and Sarink,  H. M.. (1987);  Effects of phenolic acids on growth, mineral composition and chlorophyll content of some herbaceous woodland species.  Zeitschrift Pflanzenernährung Bodenken. 150 94-98
• 19 Kuiters,  A. T.,, Lakeman,  M. H.,, and Middelkoop,  E.. (1987);  Phenolic substances in a humus podzol profile and their impact on some woodland herbs at low nutrient supply.  Acta Botanica Neerlandica. 36 261-270
• 20 Lege,  K. E.,, Cothren,  J. T.,, and Smith,  C. W.. (1995);  Phenolic acid and condensed tannin concentrations of six cotton genotypes.  Environmental and Experimental Botany. 35 241-249
• 21 Northup,  R. R.,, Dahlgren,  R. A.,, and Yu,  Z.. (1995);  Intraspecific variation of conifer phenolic concentration on a marine terrace soil acidity gradient: a new interpretation.  Plant and Soil. 171 255-262
• 22 Proctor,  J.. (1999);  Heath forests and acid soils.  Botanical Journal of Scotland. 51 1-14
• 23 Proctor,  J.,, Anderson,  J. M.,, Fogden,  S. C. L.,, and Vallack,  H. W.. (1983);  Ecological studies in four contrasting lowland rain forests in Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak. II. Litterfall, litter standing crop and preliminary observations on herbivory.  Journal of Ecology. 71 261-283
• 24 Siqueira,  J. O.,, Nair,  M. G.,, Hammerschmidt,  R.,, and Stair,  G. R.. (1991);  Significance of phenolic compounds in plant-soil-microbial systems.  Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences. 10 63-121
• 25 Vaughan,  D., and Ord,  B. G.. (1990);  Influence of phenolic acids on morphological changes in the roots of Pisum sativum. .  Journal of Science Food and Agriculture. 52 289-299
• 26 Vaughan,  D., and Ord,  B. G.. (1991) Extraction of potential allelochemicals and their effects on root morphology and nutrient contents. Plant Root Growth. An Ecological Perspective. Atkinson, D., ed. Oxford; Special Publication Series of the British Ecological Society, number 10, Blackwell Scientific Publications pp. 399-421
• 27 Vaughan,  D.,, Jones,  D.,, and Ord,  B. G.. (1993);  Amelioration by Volutella ciliata of the phytotoxicity of vanillic acid towards the growth of Pisum sativum L.  Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 25 11-17
• 28 Whitehead,  D. C.,, Dibb,  H.,, and Hartley,  R. D.. (1981);  Extractant pH and the release of phenolic compounds from soils, plant roots and leaf litter.  Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 13 343-348
• 29 Whitehead,  D. C.,, Dibb,  H.,, and Hartley,  R. D.. (1982);  Phenolic compounds in soil as influenced by the growth of different plant species.  Journal of Applied Ecology. 19 579-588
• 30 Whitehead,  D. C.,, Dibb,  H.,, and Hartley,  R. D.. (1983);  Bound phenolic compounds in water extracts of soils, plant roots and leaf litter.  Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 15 133-136

Section Editor: L. A. C. J. Voesenek