Growth and physiological response of spinach to various lithium concentrations in soil.

Lithium (Li) exploitation for industrial and domestic use is resulting in a buildup of the element in various environmental components that results in potential toxicity to living systems. Therefore, a soil culture experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing concentration of Li (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg kg soil) on spinach growth, the effects of Li uptake, and its effects on various physiological attributes of the crop. The results showed that lower levels of Li in soil (20 mg Li kg) improve the growth of spinach plants, while a higher concentration of applied Li enhanced the pigment contents.