<p>We recently reported marked variability in seed germination characteristics of some <i>Oryza sativa</i> L. landraces from Sikkim Himalaya with a subset showing lower germination coinciding with reduced constitutive α-amylase activity. Since exogenous GA₃ stimulated seed germination with a concomitant increase in α-amylase activity in the landraces of this subset, their low germination ability seems to be a consequence inter alia of lower endogenous GA₃ levels vis-à-vis the high germinating counterparts. Here, it was of interest to monitor the seed germination and early (germination stage) root growth responses of certain low (Birinful, Doodhkatey, Dhansey) and high (Tukmorzho, Chinizho, Nepalzho) germinating landraces to aluminium (Al) and examine the influence thereon of exogenous GA₃. The outcome could be expected to provide insight into the involvement, if any, of GA₃ in alleviation of Al toxicity at the monitored stage. A 4-d exposure to Al (0–100&#xa0;μM) led to a concentration dependent suppression and delay (increased mean germination time, MGT) of seed germination in all the tested landraces. However, the magnitude of suppression was generally greater in low germinating landraces vis-a-vis the high germinating counterparts with occasional concentration-specific quantitative differences. Al treatment resulted in a correspondingly decreased α-amylase activity, implying reduced starch hydrolysis, that contributed to the suppression of seed germination. Likewise, the root growth, measured after 4-d treatment, was differentially inhibited by Al, the magnitude of inhibition being greater in Birinful and Dhansey (both low germinating landraces) than in Chinizho and Tukmorzho (both high germinating landraces). The remaining two (Doodhkatey, Nepalzho) differed in response quantitatively from other landraces in their respective groups pointing to the fact that root growth response to Al is independent of seed germination status. Due to GA₃ pretreatment, the magnitude of Al-induced inhibition of seed germination and early root growth was reduced to varying extents in a landrace dependent manner that also coincided with increased α-amylase activity. In addition, Al induced a landrace-dependent suppression of triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction ability, a measure of mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity, of rice seeds. This ability remained higher due to GA₃ pretreatment. Taken together, the observations suggest the possibility of GA₃ contributing to an extent towards reduction of Al toxicity in certain rice landraces by influencing the germination related metabolic events. Such GA₃ effects seem to be restricted to germination stage preceding the processes operating in roots that predominantly determine the Al-toxicity and tolerance.</p>