Evaluation of nickel toxicity in wheat as function of diverse type of fertilizers: implications for public health

Many studies have described the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to heavy metal toxicity and deficiencies individually in plants. The present study assess nickel (Ni) concentration in amended soil, plant vegetative parts, and wheat grains, grown under diverse types of fertilizers in Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. Different varieties of wheat were grown in pot and fields. Different treatments (municipal solid waste, poultry waste, press mud, farm yard manure) of fertilizers were applied in order to study the metal level increased in different parts (root, shoot, grain) of wheat due to fertilization. Results indicated that metal level was found highest in roots followed by shoot and grain. The highest level of nickel in root was present in V1 (2.35 mg/kg) due to T2 (2.60 mg/kg) treatment. Higher nickel levels in wheat shoot and grains were observed in V5 (2.36 mg/kg) and V8 (2.29 mg/kg), respectively, due to applied treatment T2 (2.57 mg/kg). This study concluded that treatment T9 was proven safe in view of the observed Ni concentration, while treatment T2 (municipal solid waste) resulted in higher accumulation of nickel in wheat grains which showed that municipal solid waste should be treated before their application in agriculture fields to secure the public health. This study recommended that although application of fertilizers increased the plant growth and nutritional value, it also enhanced metal accumulation in the wheat grains which could be harmful for consumers especially human being. Government should take actions to prevent metal toxicity in human food chain.