Mitigation of nickel stress in Abelmoschus esculentus L. through citric acid seed priming.

Citric acid seed priming enhances stress tolerance and growth in Abelmoschus esculentus L. under nickel contamination, boosting antioxidant activity by over 40% and improving seed vigor by 202.

• Why it matters: Nickel contamination threatens crop productivity and food safety due to its persistence and toxicity, highlighting the need for effective mitigation strategies to protect agricultural systems and human health.
• What they did: A pot trial with four treatments, including citric acid priming, was conducted to evaluate its effects on seed vigor, photosynthetic pigments, water content, membrane stability, antioxidant enzymes, and leaf metabolomics in Abelmoschus esculentus.
• The result: Citric acid priming significantly improved plant physiological and biochemical responses, increased organic acids and phenolics, and suggests a promising approach to reduce Ni toxicity and maintain cellular homeostasis in contaminated soils.