Oxidative Stress in Lead Toxicity in Plants and Its Amelioration

Heavy metalsMetal, also knownOxidative stress as trace elements, are hazardous even at low concentrations and are becoming a growing issue in many countries, including India. Human activities ranging from agriculture to mining to power generation in power plantsPlants are the major sources of heavy metalsHeavy metal in environment. Lead (Pb)Lead (Pb) is the second most harmful environmental toxin after arsenic, and its deposition in the environmentEnvironment is steadily increasing due to anthropogenic activityAnthropogenic activities. Pb significantly harms plants, affecting their morphophysiological and biochemical traits, such as irregular cell division during mitosis, subordinate growth of seedlings, and chlorosis. The latter changes the biochemistry of fruits and flowers, which negatively affects the rate of photosynthetic activity. Pb also damages nutrient interactions, photosynthesis, respiration, oxidative damage, and antioxidantAntioxidants defence mechanisms in various plant species. SoilSoil remediation methods, such as biochar supplements and phytoremediationPhytoremediation technology, can help address Pb-contaminated soils. Hyperaccumulating plantsPlants have developed molecular processes that enable their use in environmental bioremediationBioremediation. However, efficacy of these methods still needs to be evaluated by rigorous research activities, and new ecologically acceptable remediation techniques need to be developed to reduce lead toxicityLead toxicity.