Variability in grain cadmium concentration among durum wheat cultivars: impact of aboveground biomass partitioning

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 404; no. 1-2; pp. 307 - 320
• Main Authors: Perrier, F, B. Yan, F. Candaudap, O. S Pokrovsky, E. Gourdain, B. Meleard, S. Bussière, C. Coriou, T. Robert, C. Nguyen, J. Y. Cornu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.07.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Aboveground biomass; Agrology; Assembly lines; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cadmium; Cereals; Cultivars; dry matter partitioning; Durum wheat; Ecology; field experimentation; Genotype & phenotype; Grains; Health aspects; Hydroponics; leaves; Life Sciences; manganese; Nutrient concentrations; nutrient solutions; Plant organs; Plant Physiology; Plant roots; Plant Sciences; Regular Article; roots; screening; Soil Science & Conservation; Triticum aestivum; Triticum turgidum; Triticum turgidum subsp. durum; Wheat; Wheat soils; zinc; Shoot sequestration; Genotypic variation; Cereal; Stem height; Low-dose cadmium
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-016-2847-8

AIMS: Varietal screening was conducted to characterize how French durum wheat lines (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum) differ in the concentration of cadmium (Cd) in their grains and to identify the main (eco) physiological processes behind these differences. METHODS: Eight French and two Canadian durum wheat lines were grown hydroponically in a nutrient solution with a low concentration of Cd (2 nM). At maturity, the partitioning of biomass and Cd among organs was analyzed and elemental profiles of the grain were obtained. RESULTS: Grain Cd concentration ranged from 0.03 to 0.08 μg g⁻¹ and was thus in the same range as that measured in field trials. The level of Cd in the grain was correlated with levels of P, Mn and Zn. French lines behaved like high-Cd cultivars. A 2.4-fold variation in grain Cd was observed within French lines, which was not explained either by a difference in uptake or by a difference in the root sequestration of Cd. One important finding is that the leaf biomass was the most influential variable explaining the genotypic variation in grain Cd observed within French lines. CONCLUSIONS: The partitioning of aboveground biomass may influence the concentration of Cd in grain, in addition to the sequestration of Cd in roots.