Open Access iconOpen Access

ARTICLE

crossmark

Exogenous Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG) Modulate Physiological Characteristics, Photosynthesis, Secondary Metabolism and Antioxidant Defense System in Peganum Harmala L. under Nickel Stress

by Marwa Rezgui1,#,*, Wided Ben Ammar1, Muhammad Nazim2,3,#, Walid Soufan4, Chiraz Chaffei Haouari1

1 Department of Biology, University of Tunis El Manar, Laboratory of Vegetable Productivity and Environmental Constraints, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis (LR18ES04), University of Tunis El Manar (UTM), Tunis, 1060, Tunisia
2 State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
3 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
4 Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

* Corresponding Author: Marwa Rezgui. Email: email
# These authors contributed equally

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Integrative Approaches to Plant Stress Responses under Changing Climate Conditions)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2025, 94(1), 137-155. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.058851

Abstract

Nickel (Ni) toxicity significantly impairs plant growth, photosynthesis, and metabolism by inducing oxidative stress. This study evaluates the potential of exogenous Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG) in mitigating Ni-induced stress in Peganum harmala L. Seedlings were exposed to 0, 200, 500, and 750 μM NiCl2, with or without AKG supplementation. Under 750 μM Ni stress, dry weight (DW) decreased by 33.7%, tissue water content (TWC) by 39.9%, and chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll levels were reduced by 17% and 15%, respectively. Ni exposure also significantly increased secondary metabolite production, with leaf anthocyanin content rising by 131%, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities increasing by 228% and 53%, respectively, in roots at 500 μM Ni. AKG treatment alleviated Ni toxicity by enhancing TWC by 39% and promoting root and shoot growth. Additionally, AKG treatment boosted the synthesis of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, contributing to improved tolerance against Ni stress. These findings demonstrate the potential of AKG in enhancing Ni tolerance in P. harmala, suggesting its promising role in bioremediation of metal-contaminated soils. This is the first study to report the beneficial effects of exogenous AKG in alleviating nickel toxicity in P. harmala L., offering a new approach for improving plant resilience to heavy metal stress.

Keywords


Cite This Article

APA Style
Rezgui, M., Ammar, W.B., Nazim, M., Soufan, W., Haouari, C.C. (2025). Exogenous alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) modulate physiological characteristics, photosynthesis, secondary metabolism and antioxidant defense system in peganum harmala L. under nickel stress. Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, 94(1), 137–155. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.058851
Vancouver Style
Rezgui M, Ammar WB, Nazim M, Soufan W, Haouari CC. Exogenous alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) modulate physiological characteristics, photosynthesis, secondary metabolism and antioxidant defense system in peganum harmala L. under nickel stress. Phyton-Int J Exp Bot. 2025;94(1):137–155. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.058851
IEEE Style
M. Rezgui, W. B. Ammar, M. Nazim, W. Soufan, and C. C. Haouari, “Exogenous Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG) Modulate Physiological Characteristics, Photosynthesis, Secondary Metabolism and Antioxidant Defense System in Peganum Harmala L. under Nickel Stress,” Phyton-Int. J. Exp. Bot., vol. 94, no. 1, pp. 137–155, 2025. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.058851



cc Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Tech Science Press.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
  • 326

    View

  • 98

    Download

  • 0

    Like

Share Link