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ABSTRACT
Sophora davidii, a vital forage species, predominantly thrives in the subtropical karst mountains of Southwest China. Its resilience to poor soil conditions and arid environments renders it an ideal pioneer species for ecological restoration in these regions. This study investigates the influence of acidic, aluminum-rich local soil on the germination and seedling growth physiology of S. davidii. Experiments were conducted under varying degrees of acidity and aluminum stress, employing three pH levels (3.5 to 5.5) and four aluminum concentrations (0.5 to 2.0 mmol·L−1). The results showed that germination rate, germination index, and vigor index of S. davidii seeds were decreased but not significantly under slightly acidic conditions (pH 4.5–5.5), while strong acid (pH = 3.5) significantly inhibited the germination rate, germination index, and vigor index of white spurge seeds compared with the control group. Aluminum stress (≥0.5 mmol·L−1) significantly inhibited the germination rate, germination index, and vigor index of S. davidii seed. Moreover, the seedlings’ root systems were sensitive to the changes of aluminum concentration, evident from significant root growth inhibition, characterized by root shortening and color deepening. Notably, under aluminum stress (pH = 4.3), the levels of malondialdehyde and proline in S. davidii escalated with increasing aluminum concentration, while antioxidant enzyme activities demonstrated an initial increase followed by a decline. The study underscores the pivotal role of cellular osmoregulatory substances and protective enzymes in combating aluminum toxicity in S. davidii, a key factor exacerbating growth inhibition in acidic environments. These findings offer preliminary theoretical insights for the practical agricultural utilization of S. davidii in challenging soil conditions.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Author contributions
The concept and design of the study were collaboratively undertaken by all authors. Sisi Long, Wenhui Xie, Wenwu Zhao, and Danyang Liu were responsible for material preparation, data collection, and analysis. The initial draft of the manuscript was composed by Sisi Long, while Lili Zhao and Puchang Wang contributed significantly to the manuscript revisions. All authors are actively engaged in discussing and refining previous versions of the manuscript. The final manuscript was read and approved by all contributing authors, ensuring a collective agreement on the content and findings presented.
Data availability statement
The authors have determined that all of the data underlying this article has been displayed in the article. Competing Interests: The authors have no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose.