Impacts of Heavy Metal Toxicity on Plant Growth and Development: Insights into Physiological and Biochemical Responses

Authors- B. Gyani Priyanka Patnaik, J. Anuradha, and R. Sanjeevi

Abstract-Heavy metal contamination poses a significant threat to plant growth and development, with detrimental effects on agricultural productivity, ecosystem stability, and human health. In this study, we examine how plants respond physiologically, biochemically, and morphologically to heavy metal toxicity to provide insight into the mechanisms underlying interactions between plants and metals as well as possible mitigating strategies. Heavy metals (HMs) such as chromium, cadmium, nickel, mercury, lead, and arsenic can enter plants through several different processes. Once inside, these metals interfere with vital physiological functions including photosynthesis, food intake, and water interactions. Heavy metals cause oxidative stress at the biochemical level, which results in the production of ROS and lipid peroxidation. These processes harm cellular constituents and interfere with metabolic processes. Furthermore, the morphology of plants is altered by heavy metal poisoning, which has an impact on root growth, leaf shape, and reproductive development. Plants have developed several defines mechanisms against heavy metal stress, despite the metals’ harmful effects. These defines mechanisms include metal sequestration, chelation, and detoxification by complication with PC’s and MET’S. It is essential to create sustainable solutions that include these plant responses to reduce the toxicity of heavy metals to plants and the environment. This paper highlights the need for interdisciplinary research efforts to address this pressing environmental issue by summarizing the state of the art upon the impacts of toxic heavy metals on the development and growth of plants.

DOI: /10.61463/ijset.vol.13.issue1.172