Arabidopsis thaliana: a new test species for phytotoxic bioassays

Lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa L.) and other crop species are often used in phytotoxic bioassays that are designed to detect allelochemicals. The seeds of these species are considered ideal because they are readily available, germinate rapidly and uniformly, and are routinely used in laboratories around the world. Despite their common use, however, the seeds of these species are often not as sensitive or responsive to some phytotoxic chemicals as are the seeds of other species. While searching for a more sensitive test species for phytotoxic bioassays, the Columbia ecotype of Arabidopsis thaliana exhibited greater sensitivity to seven potent allelochemicals than did lettuce seeds, which, in some cases, did not respond at all to those substances. Sensitivity satisfies one of the criteria for selecting a test species for bioassays. We now report on the results of our study and offer additional reasons for using A. thaliana seeds.