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Updated: May 28, 2026
11:01
Monitoring Plant Hormones During Stress Responses
Published on: June 15, 2009
Physiological changes induced by chromium stress in plants: an overview
Shamsul Hayat1, Gulshan Khalique, Mohammad Irfan
1Plant Physiology Section, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India. shayat@lycos.com
Protoplasma
|October 18, 2011
Summary
Chromium (Cr) stress negatively impacts plants, with toxic effects depending on its valence state. Plants show potential for bioremediation of chromium contamination through accumulation or stabilization strategies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Plant Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Chromium (Cr) is a heavy metal pollutant with significant environmental implications.
- Understanding Cr toxicity mechanisms in plants is crucial for ecological and agricultural health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of chromium stress mechanisms in plants.
- To highlight the role of Cr valence states in toxicity.
- To explore the potential of plants in chromium bioremediation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on Cr phytotoxicity.
- Analysis of Cr-induced oxidative stress pathways.
- Evaluation of plant-based bioremediation strategies.
Main Results:
- Chromium toxicity is valence-dependent, with Cr(VI) being highly toxic and mobile, while Cr(III) is less toxic.
- Cr-induced oxidative stress leads to lipid peroxidation, damaging cell membranes and degrading photosynthetic pigments.
- Plant growth and development are severely deteriorated under Cr stress.
Conclusions:
- Plants are susceptible to Cr toxicity, with significant impacts on physiological processes.
- The differential toxicity of Cr valence states dictates the severity of plant stress.
- Phytoremediation using plants capable of Cr accumulation or stabilization offers a promising approach for managing Cr contamination.
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