Nickel Content of Some Hawaiian Soils and Plants and the Relation of Nickel to Plant Growth

Abstract

An investigation of the nickel content of some representative soils from the Great Soil Groups of the Hawaiian Islands and the plants growing on them was made to obtain more information on the distribution of nickel in local soils and plants. Furthermore, since various studies reported in the literature showed contrasting observations of either a stimulating or a toxic effect of nickel on plant growth, this investigation was extended to various water culture and soil pot experiments to determine the actual effect of varying concentrations of nickel on the growth of plants. There is a higher nickel content in Hawaiian soils and plants than in the normal soils and plants reported in the literature from other parts of the world. Symptoms of toxicity (chlorosis, necrosis, stunted growth, and sparse, brown, slimy roots) were exhibited by tomato plants grown in nutrient solutions containing 1.0 ppm Ni and more. The chlorosis, necrosis, and stunted growth exhibited by the injured plants in the water culture experiments were also manifested by the plants in the soil pot experiments.