Tissue-Specific Cobalt and Nickel Toxicity in Maize

Heavy metal contamination in soils is an increasing environmental concern because an excess of metals such as cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) are highly toxic to plants and reduce plant growth. This in turn has a negative impact on crop yields. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying growth reduction is still limited, particularly in important crops and with regard to organ specific responses and the combined treatment of plants with both metals. We investigated the response of maize plants to Co-, Co/Ni- and Ni-stress using morphological, biochemical, and physiological methods as well as RNA-seq analysis.