Plant tolerance to nickel toxicity: I. Influx, transport, and accumulation of nickel in four species

Abstract

Abstract Plant tolerance to nickel (Ni) toxicity depends on plant differences for uptake and distribution within tissues. Differences among and within species for Ni tolerance/accumulation might be used to identify or develop plants for remediation of high Ni soil conditions. Solution culture experiments were conducted under controlled conditions to determine influx (IN) into roots, transport (TR) from roots to shoots, and accumulation of Ni in four plant species grown at different Ni levels. White clover (Trifolium repens L.) had high dry matter (DM) at high Ni levels because of its low IN and TR of Ni. At Ni levels <60 μM, maize (Zea mays L.) had high DM probably because of its low TR even though it had high IN of Ni. Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was sensitive to Ni toxicity because of its high IN and TR of Ni. The sensitivity of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) to Ni toxicity was correlated with high TR even though it had low IN of Ni. Nickel accumulation in shoots was relatively high for c...