Insights into morphological, physio-biochemical, and phytoremediation alterations in ornamental plants under nickel stress

Author(s) : Amir Hameed, Gulzar Akhtar, Nazar Faried, Sami Ullah, Muhammad Asif Shehzad , Ishtiaq A. Rajwana, Kashif Razzaq, Tahir Saeed, Iftikhar Ahmad, Muhammad Rizwan Shah

Digital object identifier:

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF050203

Abstract:

Nickel (Ni) is an essential metal that causes soil toxicity at higher levels and reduces crop growth and quality. Therefore, the present study was planned to explore the soil phytoremediation potential of different ornamental plants (stock, snapdragon, and gladiolus) in Ni-contaminated soil. Stock, snapdragon, and gladiolus plants were grown in pots supplemented with different levels of Ni (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 µM) to analyze different growth, physiological, biochemical, and phytoremediation parameters. Results showed that a higher level of Ni (80 µM) significantly decreased growth and physio-chemical attributes of stock, snapdragon, and gladiolus. Maximum shoot length (15.40%), root length (16.00%), shoot fresh weight (6.75%), root fresh weight (15.19%), shoot dry weight (19.80%), root dry weight (27.52%), relative water content (12.29%), membrane stability index (10.64%) and total chlorophyll content (4.33%) were recorded in stock flower at 20 µM. Moreover, higher values for photosynthetic rate (27.81%), transpiration rate (9.23%), stomatal conductance (19.89%), and sub-stomatal conductance (44.19%) were noted in stock flower at 40 µM. Whereas, the maximum activities of catalase (20.41%), peroxidase (66.17%), and superoxide dismutase (64.48%) were measured in stock flower at 60 µM. Stock plants showed more tolerance against Ni toxicity than snapdragon and gladiolus based on a higher bio concentration factor (70.70%) and lesser translocation factor (46.44%) at 60 µM and 40 µM respectively. Conclusively, stock has performed better than snapdragon and gladiolus for phytoremediation of Ni-polluted soil.