Exogenous treatments with phytohormones can improve growth and nickel yield of hyperaccumulating plants

The application of plant growth regulators (PGRs) or phytohormones could be an interesting option for stimulating biomass production of hyperaccumulating plants and, consequently, their metal phytoextraction capacity. The effect of exogenous applications of phytohormones (PGR) on the Ni phytoextraction capacity of four Ni hyperaccumulating species (Alyssum corsicum, Alyssum malacitanum, Alyssum murale and Noccaea goesingense) was evaluated. Four different commercially available phytohormones (B, C, K and P) based on gibberellins, cytokinins and auxins were applied to the plant aerial tissues. Each product was applied at three different concentrations (B1-3, C1-3, K1-3 and P1-3). The effect on biomass production was dependent on the species, the PGR type and the concentration at which it was applied. Two of the four products (K and P) consistently increased biomass production compared to untreated control plants in all four plant species. On the other hand, all four products led to a significant increase in the number of branches (and leaves in the case of N. goesingense) of all four species compared to control plants. Application of phytohormones generally led to a reduction in shoot Ni concentration. Nonetheless, in some cases as a consequence of the increase observed in biomass after the application of phytohormones a significant increase in the Ni phytoextraction efficiency was also observed (but this was species- and PGR type-dependent). The results show that PGRs can be successfully used to improve the growth and biomass production of hyperaccumulating species such as Alyssum and Noccaea. However, an increase in biomass did not always lead to a higher Ni removal, and the most effective PGR for increasing Ni removal was the IAA-based product.