Chromium Toxicity and Tolerance in Crop Plants

Heavy metals (HM) constitute a group of pollutants that exert a major influence on the integrity of soil, water and air. Chromium (Cr) is one of these pollutants and its amount has shown a multifold increase in the present era. The role of Cr in plants stands undefined. A non-essential element as it is, chromium exerts phytotoxicity by impairing growth and development, nutrient cycling and various metabolic processes. Plants exert a wide array of defense against the accumulated chromium. The present chapter describes the mechanism of phytotoxicity and phytotolerance under chromium stress.