The danger of cumulation of nickel in cereals on contaminated soil

Abstract

The effect of soil contaminated with nickel in doses of 0, 14, 28, 56, 84 and 168 mg kg −1 Ni on growth, yield indicators, dynamics of uptake and Ni concentration in the aboveground biomass of oats ( Avena sativa L.) was studied in a pot experiment. The kernel yields of oats grown on soil contaminated with concentrations of up to 56 mg kg −1 Ni showed a highly significant increase, i.e. by 15.5–25.1%. The level of 168 mg kg −1 Ni was toxic for the plants and resulted in plant mortality. The yields of straw were not significantly affected by increasing levels of nickel. The highest concentration of nickel in the dry matter of plants was found in the initial growth stages, and with progressing growth it declined. The concentration of nickel in the kernels and straw increased in proportion to the applied level of nickel, and in the kernels it exceeded the maximum permitted value. Most of the nickel that was taken up was translocated into the kernels (i.e. 77.4–88.8%).