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Toxic effects of Ni2+ on growth of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

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Abstract

Despite the importance of Ni-polluted soils throughout the world, comparatively little is known about the activity of Ni2+ required to reduce plant growth and the effects that Ni2+ toxicity has on the plant. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. cv Caloona) was grown in dilute nutrient solutions to investigate the effect of Ni2+ activity on shoot and root growth. A Ni2+ activity of 1.4 μM was found to cause a 10% reduction in the relative fresh mass of the root and shoots. The primary site of Ni2+ toxicity was the shoots, with the younger leaves displaying an interveinal chlorosis (possibly a Ni-induced Fe deficiency) at Ni2+ activities ≥1.7 μM. Lateral root formation was inhibited in the two highest Ni2+ treatments (3.3 and 5.1 μM), and the roots growing at the highest Ni2+ activity were short and stubby and brown in color. However, no other symptoms of toxicity were observed on the roots at lower Ni2+ activities.

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Abbreviations

CDTA:

Cyclohexane-1,2-diaminetetra-acetic acid

EC:

Electrical conductivity

I:

Ionic strength

ICPOES:

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

ICPMS:

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the comments and suggestions of Dr Pax Blamey and Associate Professor Stephen Adkins for the use of the dissecting microscope. Michael Geyer is also gratefully acknowledged for his assistance with the sample preparation and analysis. This research was funded through CRC-CARE Project 3–3–01–05/6.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia

    Peter Martin Kopittke, Colin J. Asher & Neal W. Menzies

  2. CRC for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC-CARE), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia

    Peter Martin Kopittke & Neal W. Menzies

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  1. Peter Martin Kopittke
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  2. Colin J. Asher
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  3. Neal W. Menzies
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Correspondence to Peter Martin Kopittke.

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Kopittke, P.M., Asher, C.J. & Menzies, N.W. Toxic effects of Ni2+ on growth of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). Plant Soil 292, 283–289 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-007-9226-4

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