Vallabhaneni Mythri, Dong Zhongmin, Goud Ellie M
Department of Biology Saint Mary's University Halifax Nova Scotia Canada.
Plant Environ Interact. 2025 Sep 6;6(5):e70074. doi: 10.1002/pei3.70074. eCollection 2025 Oct.
Elevated acidity from natural and anthropogenic sources can be a significant stressor for plants, affecting essential processes such as nutrient uptake and growth. While low pH (< 4) is generally considered stressful for plants, differential impacts of distinct acid types-organic versus inorganic, strong versus weak-on plant growth and development remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we evaluated the responses of two Brassicaceae species to organic (acetic) and inorganic (hydrochloric, sulfuric) acids at three pH levels (pH 2.5-5.5) to determine whether acid responses are solely pH-dependent or if acid type specificity plays a role in plant functional responses, thereby providing insights into the mechanisms of acid responses and tolerance. Plant responses varied based on acid types, even at the same pH levels. Hydrochloric acid promoted higher seed germination but hindered seedling growth and morphological development of roots, shoots, and leaves, while acetic and sulfuric acids had the opposite effects. These results highlight the influence of acid types on plant functions, specifically affecting distinct developmental stages. These findings suggest that plant responses to acid stress are not solely pH-dependent but are significantly influenced by the specific chemical properties of the acids involved, providing valuable insights for managing acid-impacted wild plant communities.
来自自然和人为来源的酸度升高可能是植物面临的一个重大压力源，影响着诸如养分吸收和生长等重要过程。虽然低pH值（<4）通常被认为对植物有压力，但不同类型的酸——有机酸与无机酸、强酸与弱酸——对植物生长发育的不同影响仍不清楚。为了填补这一知识空白，我们评估了两种十字花科植物在三个pH水平（pH 2.5 - 5.5）下对有机酸（乙酸）和无机酸（盐酸、硫酸）的反应，以确定酸反应是否仅取决于pH值，或者酸类型特异性是否在植物功能反应中起作用，从而深入了解酸反应和耐受性的机制。即使在相同的pH水平下，植物的反应也因酸的类型而异。盐酸促进了较高的种子萌发，但阻碍了幼苗生长以及根、茎和叶的形态发育，而乙酸和硫酸则有相反的效果。这些结果突出了酸类型对植物功能的影响，特别是对不同发育阶段的影响。这些发现表明，植物对酸胁迫的反应不仅取决于pH值，还受到所涉及酸的特定化学性质的显著影响，为管理受酸影响的野生植物群落提供了有价值的见解。
