Visual Detection of Aluminum Tolerance Levels in Wheat by Hematoxylin Staining of Seedling Roots¹

Abstract

When seedling roots of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.) are treated with solutions containing A1 3+ and then stained in an aqueous solution of hematoxylin, they develop a pattern of staining that correlates remarkably well with their A1 tolerance level as estimated by root elongation methods and field trials. A rapid and simple method for evaluating A1 tolerance hi wheat varieties with hemotoxylin is presented. The method is based on a visual estimation of the stainability of the root tips of young seedlings and is calibrated with wheat varieties of known A1 tolerance. Since seedlings tested by this method are still viable and can be transplanted for growing to maturity, the method can also be adapted for screening segregating populations.