Aluminum is usually regarded as the determining factor for plant growth in acid soils and nutrient deficiencies are often additional growth‐limiting factors in tropical acid soils. Taking into account the potential interactions between Al toxicity and nutrient deficiencies, the present study investigated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench [L.]) and maize (Zea mays L.) cultivar differences for: (1) Al tolerance (relative growth in a one‐fifth strength nutrient solution [low‐nutrient medium, ionic strength: 4.5 mmol L−1] with Al and without Al), (2) low‐nutrient tolerance (relative growth in a low‐nutrient medium compared with growth in a full‐strength nutrient solution), (3) combined tolerance (relative growth in a low‐nutrient medium containing Al compared with a full‐strength medium lacking Al). The goal of the present study was to identify the predominant growth‐limiting factor using a solution culture medium that simulates the nutrient status of tropical acid soils. Differential Al tolerance among 15 cultivars of sorghum and 10 cultivars of maize in short‐term assays (2.5 or 20 µmol L−1 AlCl3 in 0.2 mmol L−1 CaCl2 at pH 5.0 or 4.9, respectively, for 24 h) was positively correlated with Al tolerance in long‐term cultures (11.1 or 42.6 µmol L−1 soluble Al in the low‐nutrient medium at pH 4.5 or 4.3, respectively, for 29 days). However, the level of Al tolerance in the short‐term assays was not correlated with the combined tolerance, suggesting that a short‐term screening technique may not be practically useful for estimating cultivar adaptation to a combination of stress factors in tropical acid soils. In sorghum, a less Al‐tolerant plant species, higher Al tolerance was associated with less Al absorption by the roots and greater K translocation into the shoots. In maize, a more Al‐tolerant plant species, there was no correlation between the accumulation or transport of elements and Al tolerance. Standardized partial regression coefficients suggested that low‐nutrient tolerance contributed more to combined tolerance than Al tolerance under most conditions (except for Al‐sensitive sorghum at 42.6 µmol L−1 AlCl3). A greater combined tolerance was associated with a higher K shoot concentration in sorghum and a higher Ca shoot level in maize. Plant nutritional characteristics linked to low‐nutrient tolerance should be evaluated as an important strategy for plant production in tropical acid soils, both for Al‐tolerant plant species and for Al‐sensitive plant species under low‐Al conditions.

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