Identification of hot pepper cultivars containing low Cd levels after growing on contaminated soil: uptake and redistribution to the edible plant parts

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 373; no. 1-2; pp. 415 - 425
• Main Authors: Xin, Junliang, Huang, Baifei, Liu, Aiqun, Zhou, Wenjing, Liao, Kebing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.12.2013; Springer; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aerial parts; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cadmium; Capsicum annuum; Cultivars; Ecology; Fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Growth; Growth (Plants); Health aspects; Leaves; Life Sciences; nutrient uptake; Orchard soils; Peppers; Plant biology; Plant Physiology; Plant roots; Plant Sciences; Plant-soil relationships; Plants; polluted soils; Regular Article; Roots; screening; Soil and water pollution; Soil contamination; Soil pollution; Soil science; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Stems; Translocation; translocation (plant physiology); Vegetables; Translocation; Cadmium; L.; Hot pepper; Low-Cd cultivars; Soil quality; Identification; Soil pollution; Absorption; Plant part; Redistribution; Polluted soil; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae; Chilli pepper; Hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.); Edible species; Property of soil; Spice; Foodstuff; Contamination; Heavy metal; Vegetable crop; Flavoring crop; Spermatophyta; Level; Soil plant relation; Cultivar
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-013-1805-y

AIMS: This study aimed to screen and identify low-cadmium (Cd) hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars and to clarify the mechanisms of low Cd accumulation in fruits. METHODS: A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the variations of fruit Cd concentration among 30 hot pepper cultivars and to determine the differences in uptake and translocation of Cd between low- and high-Cd cultivars in the control and two Cd treatments. RESULTS: There are significant differences among the cultivars in their ability to accumulate Cd in fruits. Fruit Cd concentrations are positively and significantly correlated with the translocation of Cd from roots to aboveground parts and the Cd concentrations of leaves and stems. However, no correlation was observed between the fruit’s Cd concentration and the root’s Cd uptake ability. CONCLUSIONS: Two hot pepper cultivars, Yeshengchaotianjiao (No. 16) and Heilameixiaojianjiao (No. 23), were identified as low-Cd cultivars, and two, Jinfuzaohuangjiao (No. 13) and Shuduhong (No. 18), were treated as high-Cd cultivars. The difference in fruit Cd concentrations between low- and high-Cd cultivars is attributable to the difference in Cd translocation from roots to aboveground parts and from leaves and stems to fruits, rather than to the root’s Cd uptake ability.