Zinc hyperaccumulation in Thlaspi caerulescens. II. Influence on organic acids

The influence of different zinc (Zn) concentrations (1.5 to 1500 μM) on organic acid levels in roots and shoots of the Zn-hyperaccumulator plant Thlaspi caerulescens was investigated. In shoots, malate was the most abundant organic acid (164 to 248 μmol/g f.w.), followed by citrate, succinate, and oxalate. A significant correlation between soluble Zn and both malate and oxalate was observed in shoots, but not in roots. In shoots, a significant correlation between inorganic cation equivalents and organic acid anion equivalents was found. These observations and the finding, that organic acid concentrations were high even under suboptimal Zn supply (1.5 μM) suggest that in T. caerulescens the high organic acid concentration in shoots is a constitutive property. The variation of the organic acid concentrations seem to be a consequence of the cation-anion balance rather than a specific Zn tolerance mechanism. The constitutively high organic acid concentration may be responsible for the high Zn and iron (Fe) tissue concentrations required for optimum growth in T. caerulescens.