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Reserves of aluminium and mineral nutrients in seeds of Eucalyptus calophylla (Myrtaceae) with reference to the globoid inclusions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

Louise M. Egerton-Warburton*
Affiliation:
Plant Sciences (Horticulture)
Brendon J. Griffin
Affiliation:
Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Western Australia, Australia
John Kuo
Affiliation:
Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6009, Western Australia, Australia
*
*Correspondence

Abstract

Amounts of mineral nutrients and aluminium (Al) were assessed in the globoid inclusions, proteinaceous matrix and druse crystals of Eucalyptus calophylla seeds collected from trees grown in coal-mine (mean soil pH 4.3, Al 260 μg g−1) and forest soils (pH 5.3, Al 10 μg g−1). Energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) of bulk frozen hydrated samples indicated that significantly higher amounts of Mg, P, S, K and Ca occurred in the globoid inclusions of mine- than forest-site seeds. In both seedstocks, Al was detected in the globoid inclusions but not in the proteinaceous matrix or druse crystals. Significantly higher amounts of Al occurred in mine-site samples of dry and germinating seeds than in forest-site seeds. It was concluded that globoid inclusions may be useful as indicators of the soil conditions in which the parent plant was grown.

Type
Short Communication
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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