ARS | Publication request: Maize aluminum tolerance

Submitted to: Maize Handbook
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: September 20, 2008
Publication Date: February 2, 2009
Citation: Kochian, L.V., Hoekenga, O., Magalhaes, J., Pineros, M. 2009. Maize aluminum tolerance. In: Bennetzen, J.L., Hale, E.S.C., editors. Handbook of Maize: It's Biology. New York, NY: Springer. p. 367-380.

Technical Abstract: Maize is one of the most economically important food crops grown on acid soils, where aluminum (Al) toxicity greatly limits crop yields. Considerable variation for Al tolerance exists in maize, and this variation has been exploited for many years by plant breeders to enhance maize Al tolerance. Currently, there is considerable interest in facilitating further improvements in maize Al tolerance via interdisciplinary efforts aimed at identifying the genes conferring tolerance and the associated physiological mechanisms in maize. This chapter describes recent research into the physiology, genetics and molecular biology of maize Al tolerance, and potential candidate Al tolerance genes in maize are also discussed.