Co-Authors:
Kinraide, T.B., Appalachian Soil/Water Conserv. R.L., Agricultural Research Service, U. States Department of Agriculture, Beaver, WV 25813-0400, United States
Yermiyahu, U., Inst. Soils, Water and Environ. Sci., Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel
Rytwo, G., Tel Hai College, Upper Galilee 12210, Israel
Abstract:
A Gouy-Chapman-Stern model has been developed for the compulation of surface electrical potential (ψ0) of plant cell membranes in response to ionic solutes. The present model is a modification of an earlier version developed to compute the Sorption of ions by wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Scout 66) root plasma membranes. A single set of model parameters generates values for ψ0 that correlate highly with published ζ potentials of protoplasts and plasma membrane vesicles from diverse plant sources. The model assumes ion binding to a negatively charged site (R- = 0.3074 μtmol m-2) and to a neutral site (P0 = 2.4 μmol m-2) according to the reactions R- + Iz ⇌ RIz~' and P0 + Iz ⇌ PIz, where Iz represents an ion of charge Z. Binding constants for the negative site are 21,500 M-1 for H+, 20,000 M-1 for Al3+, 2,200 M-1 for La3+, 30 M-1 for Ca2+ and Mg2+, and 1 M-1 for Na+ and K+. Binding constants for the neutral site are 1/180 the value for binding to the negative site. Ion activities at the membrane surface, computed on the basis of ψ0, appear to determine many aspects of plant-mineral interactions, including mineral nutrition and the induction and alleviation of mineral toxicities, according to previous and ongoing studies. A computer program with instructions for the computation of ψ0, ion binding, ion concentrations, and ion activities at membrane surfaces may be requested from the authors.