Lithium for Plants: Root System
Lithium (Li)
For the plant – root system.
Lithium positively influences the overall development of plants (especially the root system), improves potassium transport, enhances the photochemical activity of chloroplasts in leaves (tomatoes), and the synthesis of nicotine (tobacco), affects water-salt exchange, especially the metabolic reactions of halophyte plants.
Lithium increases resistance to fungal diseases in wheat plants, acting not on the growth of mycelium, but by altering the metabolism of the host plant.
A positive effect of lithium on cation balance, membrane permeability, and indirectly on nitrogen metabolism, water retention capacity of tissues, yield, and starch content in potato tubers has been noted.
Without lithium, plants do not synthesize complete B vitamins.
Plants contain approximately 0.01 mg% of lithium (by weight). The above-ground parts of plants are richer in lithium than the roots.
Lithium deficiency leads to poor development of the root system in plants and often, as a consequence, to lodging; the plants become brittle, and their stems break easily.
With excess lithium in the soil, the growth of cold wormwood slows down, the stem becomes crooked, and the leaves of citrus plants become mottled.
The highest lithium content is found in plants of the Rosaceae Juss. family, Caryophyllaceae Juss., Solanaceae Juss., and Ranunculaceae Juss.
The highest lithium content is found in plants of the Rosaceae Juss. family, Caryophyllaceae Juss., Solanaceae Juss., and Ranunculaceae Juss.
Lithium hyperaccumulators include:
• belladonna Atropa belladonna L., Solanaceae (rhizomes with roots, herb, leaves);
• marsh cinquefoil Comarum palustre L., Rosaceae (rhizome with roots);
• tree aloe Aloe arborescens Mill., Asphodelaceae (leaves);
• black henbane Hyoscyamus niger L., Solanaceae (herb, leaves);
• common tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L., Solanaceae (leaves);
• narrow-leaved cassia Cassia angustifolia Vahl., Fabaceae (leaves).
• belladonna Atropa belladonna L., Solanaceae (rhizomes with roots, herb, leaves);
• marsh cinquefoil Comarum palustre L., Rosaceae (rhizome with roots);
• tree aloe Aloe arborescens Mill., Asphodelaceae (leaves);
• black henbane Hyoscyamus niger L., Solanaceae (herb, leaves);
• common tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L., Solanaceae (leaves);
• narrow-leaved cassia Cassia angustifolia Vahl., Fabaceae (leaves).
Medicinal plants containing lithium:
• small meadow rue Thalictrum minus L., Ranunculaceae (herb);
• species of the buttercup genus Ranunculus L., Ranunculaceae (herb);
• goji berry Lycium barbarum L., Solanaceae (herb);
• bearberry Arctostaphylos uva–ursi (L.) Spreng., Ericaceae (leaves);
• Indian thorn apple Datura inoxia Mill., Solanaceae (leaves).
• small meadow rue Thalictrum minus L., Ranunculaceae (herb);
• species of the buttercup genus Ranunculus L., Ranunculaceae (herb);
• goji berry Lycium barbarum L., Solanaceae (herb);
• bearberry Arctostaphylos uva–ursi (L.) Spreng., Ericaceae (leaves);
• Indian thorn apple Datura inoxia Mill., Solanaceae (leaves).