Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41610089›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Differential seedling responses of chickpea varieties to hexavalent chromium (VI) stress under controlled conditions.

Muhammad Hammad, Afifa Kainat Rani, Laraib Chouhdary, Muhammad Kabir, Patricio R De Los Rios-Escalante, Muhammad Aslam

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In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Muhammad HammadDepartment of Biological Sciences, Thal University Bhakkar, Bhakkar, Punjab, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4914-5024
Afifa Kainat RaniEnvironment Protection and Climate Change Department, Punjab, Pakistan.
Laraib ChouhdaryDepartment of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
Muhammad KabirDepartment of Biological Sciences, Thal University Bhakkar, Bhakkar, Punjab, Pakistan.
Patricio R De Los Rios-EscalanteDepartment of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources, Catholic University of Temuco, Temuco, Chile.
Muhammad AslamArid Zone Research Institute, Bhakkar, Punjab, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Hexavalent chromium (Cr VI) contamination infiltration in soil due to industrial activities has become a sever threat to Pakistan's agricultural productivity. Recent surveys report soil chromium concentrations in agricultural-industrial interfaces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reaching 100 mg/kg, exceeding the WHO permissible limit (1.5 mg/kg) by more than 50-fold. Chickpea, a widely cultivated crop in Pakistan also faces productivity threats from Cr (VI). This study evaluates the differential seedling responses of two Pakistani chickpea varieties (CM-72 and CM-98) to hexavalent chromium stress (0µM to 100µM) under controlled conditions to address a critical research gap. A fully randomized experimental design (CRD) with five replicates per treatment was utilized, assessing germination metrics, root and shoot lengths, root collar diameter, and biomass over a period of 14 days. Statistical evaluations (ANOVA, Pearson correlation, PCA) indicated substantial varietal differences. Both varieties showed significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent reductions in germination rates, growth, and biomass; however, CM-72 exhibited greater tolerance. At a concentration of 100 µM Cr VI, CM-72 achieved 90% germination (compared to 80% in CM-98), with moderate declines in root length (39% compared to 77% in CM-98), shoot length (76% compared to 90%), and biomass (34% dry weight loss in comparison to 59% in CM-98). Multivariate analysis revealed strong associations between growth inhibition and chromium stress, with PCA differentiating between structural (root collar diameter) and temporal (germination delay) effects. These results highlight the resilience of CM-72, likely attributable to metabolic and antioxidative adaptations, making it a potential candidate for cultivation in areas contaminated with chromium. The relative tolerance of CM-72 may relate to underlying physiological or biochemical traits that warrant investigation in future studies. This research offers essential insights into the responses of chickpea varieties to Cr VI stress, highlighting the necessity for biochemical and molecular studies to clarify tolerance mechanisms and support sustainable agricultural practices in regions impacted by heavy metals.

Indexed as

ChromiumCicerSeedlingsSoil PollutantsStress, PhysiologicalBiomassGerminationPlant RootsPlant ShootsChromiumchromium hexavalent ionSoil Pollutants

Identifiers

PMID41610089
PMCPMC12854415

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.