TY  - EJOU
AU  - Rezgui, Marwa 
AU  - Ammar, Wided Ben 
AU  - Nazim, Muhammad 
AU  - Soufan, Walid 
AU  - Haouari, Chiraz Chaffei 

TI  - Exogenous Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG) Modulate Physiological Characteristics, Photosynthesis, Secondary Metabolism and Antioxidant Defense System in <i>Peganum Harmala</i> L. under Nickel Stress
T2  - Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany

PY  - 2025
VL  - 94
IS  - 1
SN  - 1851-5657

AB  - 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 <i>Peganum harmala</i> L. Seedlings were exposed to 0, 200, 500, and 750 μM NiCl<sub>2</sub>, 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 <i>P. harmala</i>, 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 <i>P. harmala</i> L., offering a new approach for improving plant resilience to heavy metal stress.
KW  - Alpha-ketoglutarate; antioxidative enzymes; oxidative stress; <i>Peganum harmala</i>; nickel

DO  - 10.32604/phyton.2025.058851