Significance of nickel for plant growth and metabolism

Effect of lead and nickel toxicity on chlorophyll and proline content of Urd (Vigna mungo L.) seedlings

“…The increasing concentration of Ni 2+ has been shown to inhibit seed germination and seedling growth of different plant species (Espen et al, 1997;Farooqi et al, 2009). Nickel stimulates many enzymatic activities at very low concentration and it found a part of active metallo center of hexamer enzyme urease (Gerendas et al, 1999). Nickel is rapidly taken up by the plant root system and research with different plant species have shown that Ni is able to inhibit a large number of plant enzymes such as those of Calvin cycle and chlorophyll biosynthesis (Van Assche and Clijsters, 1990).…”

Distinctive phytotoxic effects of Cd and Ni on membrane functionality

“…Therefore it is considered to be an essential nutrient for plants. 3,4 Though beneficial (Ni) or harmless (Cd) at low concentrations, both elements induce phytotoxic effects at concentrations higher than the tolerance threshold of the different plant species, since they are taken up through metal transporters with low specificity. 5,6 Many physiological processes are impaired by Cd and by excess Ni resulting not only in common but also in specific symptoms of metal toxicity.…”

Rhizobium leguminosarum Biovar viciae Symbiotic Hydrogenase Activity and Processing Are Limited by the Level of Nickel in Agricultural Soils

“…The soil content of Ni is variable; values reported for total nickel typically range from 1 mg kg Ϫ1 to over 400 mg kg Ϫ1 in normal agricultural soils (1), with lower values usually associated with acid soil conditions. Ni is essential for some biological functions, such as urease synthesis in soybean leaves (11), and a critical deficiency of nickel has been defined for the growth of plants in urea nitrogen (9).…”