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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
09:13
Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements
Published on: July 13, 2016
Nickel Toxicity in Plants.
Ilya V Seregin1, Anna D Kozhevnikova1
1K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya St., 35, Moscow 127276, Russia.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Nickel (Ni) is an essential plant micronutrient but toxic at high levels. This review details Ni toxicity mechanisms, impacting plant physiology, growth, and productivity, crucial for agriculture and phytoremediation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Plant Physiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Nickel (Ni) is an essential ultra-micronutrient vital for plant enzymes and physiological processes like nitrogen metabolism and growth.
- Elevated Ni concentrations induce toxicity, impairing plant growth, morphogenesis, and productivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on Nickel toxicity mechanisms in plants.
- To analyze Ni's effects on various physiological and biochemical processes.
- To compare Ni effects on excluder and hyperaccumulator plants.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of Nickel toxicity in plants.
- Analysis of Nickel's impact on enzyme activity, membranes, and metabolic systems.
- Comparison of Nickel accumulation strategies in different plant types.
Main Results:
- Nickel toxicity affects enzyme activity, membrane integrity, antioxidant and glyoxalase systems, and nutrient/water balance.
- Photosynthesis, plant growth, and development are significantly inhibited by high Nickel levels.
- Excluder plants sequester Nickel in roots, while hyperaccumulators accumulate it in shoots.
Conclusions:
- Understanding Nickel toxicity mechanisms is key to plant tolerance and adaptation in changing environments.
- Knowledge of Nickel's growth inhibitory effects can enhance agricultural productivity and phytotechnologies.
- This review provides insights for phytoremediation and phytomining strategies.
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