Chromium Toxicity in Plants: An Overview of Plant Signaling

Natural occurrences of the element chromium (Cr) include rocky soils, volcanic dust, solid debris, chemicals used in batteries, industrial waste, automobile emissions, mineral mining, fertilisers, and insecticides, all of which are hazardous for plants. Under Cr stress, many signalling chemicals in plants, such as hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and nitric oxide (NO), perform a variety of roles. Consequently, much research has looked into the biochemical reasons why plants get Cr poisoning, including metal attachment, altering enzyme function, and destroying cells. When Cr interacts between lipids, membranes, DNA, proteins, and carbohydrates; reactive oxygen species (ROS) are created. Cells are damaged by Cr due to ROS production. Plant development, cell cycle, pathogen defence, systemic communication, abiotic stress reactions, as well as growth are all regulated by ROS. Advances in metabolomics in recent times, transcriptomics, and proteomics have made possible the study of metabolic products and proteins that are stress-induced and related to Cr tolerance. The mechanisms of Cr absorption, transport, subcellular distribution, and signalling that lead to Cr toxicity and endurance in plants are discussed in this chapter.