Resistance of European lucerne accessions to aluminium

Aluminium toxicity is one of those factors limiting lucerne production on acid soils. Efficient method for selection of Al resistant plants should accelerate breeding of new cultivars. Reaction to Al of the 25 European lucerne cultivars was evaluated using Petri dish with filter paper moistened with AlCl3 concentrations 0, 2, 4, 8, 16 mM. The tested lucerne cultivars did not differ considerably by resistance to Al in regard to the origin. It was clear that aluminium inhibited lucerne seed germination, seedling root and hypocotyl elongation depending on cultivar resistance. Germination rates at AlCl3 concentrations 0, 2, 4 were similar for most cultivars, whereas AlCl3 concentrations 8 and 16 mM highly inhibited germination of susceptible cultivars. Germination test was suitable for elimination of the most susceptible accessions. The seedlings hypocotyl elongation reaction to different AlCl3 concentrations characterized cultivars better than root elongation rates. This method was suitable for selection of the most resistant accessions as only cultivars Magda, Vertus, Luna, Marova out of the 25 ones formed hypocotyls at AlCl3 concentrations 16 mM.