Zeitschrift für Pflanzenphysiologie und Pathologie

Nickel Stress Induced Antioxidant Defence System in Sponge Gourd (Luffa Cylindrical)

Kanchan Awasthi and Pratima Sinha

Nickel Stress Induced Antioxidant Defence System in Sponge Gourd (Luffa Cylindrical)

Nickel is an essential nutrient for plants, and it is required in very low amounts for normal growth of plants. However, since Ni pollution in the environment is increasing, it is essential to understand the functional roles and toxic effects of Ni in plants. To evaluate the influence of excess nickel (Ni) on sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrical L.) cv. Nirmal 28, plants were grown in refined sand with complete nutrition for 40 days (d). On the 41st day, pots with plants were separated into five lots, out of which one set was treated as a control, and rest of the four lots were given nickel as sulphate at 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mM Ni, respectively. At d 46 (6 days after metal treatment-DMT), excess Ni induced interveinal chlorosis in young leaves, along with marked growth depression. With persistent excess Ni, chlorosis turned to bleached ivory.