Page 171 - AJWEP-22-5

Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. Vol. 22, No. 5 (2025), pp. 165-178.
doi: 10.366922/AJWEP025150108

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Phosphorus alleviates aluminum toxicity in Camellia
oleifera seedlings by regulating the leaf metabolic

profile: Insights from metabolomics

Yi Wang * , Xing Chen , Yongquan Li * , and Aiai Xu 1
2
2
1,2
1 Institute of Resources, Environment and Soil Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Fujian Key Laboratory of
Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
2 Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and
Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
*Corresponding authors: Yi Wang (wangyi@zhku.edu.cn)
Yongquan Li (yongquanli@zhku.edu.cn)

Received: April 8, 2025; Revised: June 7, 2025; Accepted: June 11, 2025; Published online: July 22, 2025

Abstract: Camellia oleifera Abel, recognized as one of the world’s four major woody edible oil sources, is
extensively cultivated in the acidic red soil regions in southern China. This study focused on C. oleifera seedlings
to investigate the mechanisms through which phosphorus (P) mitigates aluminum (Al) toxicity. The seedlings were
subjected to various P–Al solutions at different concentration ratios, and a metabolomic analysis of their leaves was
then conducted. The analysis identified a total of 509 metabolites, predominantly flavonoids and tannins. Among
these, 466 flavonoids showed significant increases across all comparison groups, whereas 35 differentially abundant
metabolites were consistently detected. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional annotation and
enrichment analysis highlighted the isoflavone biosynthesis pathway as the most significantly enriched pathway
among the differentially abundant metabolites. Key metabolites identified as significantly differentially abundant
included glycitin, naringenin, and 3,9-dihydroxypterocarpan. This research elucidates the metabolic alterations in
C. oleifera seedlings under P and Al stress, suggesting that changes in flavonoid metabolites and the activation of
the isoflavone biosynthesis pathway may be crucial adaptive strategies for C. oleifera to withstand such stresses.
The findings not only offer a theoretical foundation for enhancing plant stress resistance but also provide valuable
insights into the cultivation and management practices of C. oleifera.

Keywords: Camellia oleifera; Aluminum toxicity; Phosphorus; Flavonoids; Metabolomic

1. Introduction the growth of forest vegetation, and impacts crop yields
in acidic soils. Plant roots readily absorb free Al ions,
2
In non-acidic soils, aluminum (Al) typically exists in and excessive accumulation of these ions typically causes
the form of insoluble aluminosilicates and Al oxides, manifestations of Al toxicity in plants, affecting their
1
3
which have minimal impact on the growth of forest normal development and growth. The phenomenon
4,5
plants. However, when the pH of tropical and subtropical of acid rain in southern China is intensifying, with its
forestry soils drops below 5.5, Al exists in the form of impact area gradually expanding. Concurrently, soil
Al . Excessive Al is toxic to plants, severely restricts acidification is reaching critical levels, exacerbated by
3+
3+

Volume 22 Issue 5 (2025) 165 doi: 10.366922/AJWEP025150108