Nickel in Environment and Plant Nutrition: A Mini Review

Abstract

Nickel (Ni) with iron forms the inner core of earth and is ranked seventh element responsible for causing health hazards and 9th in environmental degradation. Nickel is omnipresent. It is in air, water, plant foods and easily gets in the living bodies. Nickel is recently added as an essential plant micronutrient. It is a constituent of enzyme urease and is now known to be involved in several plant physiological processes including nitrogen metabolism, water relations, germination, photosynthesis, growth and senescence. It is present in soil, water systems, industrial effluents, fertilizer and manures in fairly good amounts to meet the requirements of crop plants. It is more known for its toxicity than for its deficiency. Nevertheless, there are Ni deficient soils and Ni fertilization has helped the crop plants. Most of the studies on Ni have been in pot-cultures and solution cultures. When required foliar application of Ni as nickel sulphate is preferred..