A quick and simple spectrophotometric method to determine total carbon concentrations in root exudate samples of grass species

Abstract

We demonstrated that the DOC₂₆₀ method allowed for quick and inexpensive measurements of total dissolved organic carbon concentrations in exudate samples from grass species grown under nutrient sufficient as well as under P deficient conditions. Interestingly, DOC₂₆₀ failed to predict DOC concentrations in exudate samples from plants grown under Zn and Fe deficiency suggesting a strong shift in metabolite composition under micronutrient deficiency. Even though the applicability of the DOC₂₆₀ method remains to be tested on exudate samples originating from dicots and plants exposed to other environmental stresses (e.g. pathogen attack, heavy metal stress, etc), it will help to increase our understanding of root exudation and related rhizosphere processes in the future.