Effect of soil cadmium on root organic acid secretion by forage crops. (1st January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ubeynarayana, Nilusha; Jeyakumar, Paramsothy; Bishop, Peter; Pereira, Roberto Calvelo; Anderson, Christopher W.N.
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 268(2021)Part A
• Publication Date: 2021-01-01
• Subjects: Chicory -- Plantain -- Cadmium accumulation -- Organic acids -- Rhizocolumn; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115839
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: The two forage species used in New Zealand pastoral agricultural systems, chicory (Cich orium intybus ) and plantain ( Plantago lanceolata ) show differential ability to absorb and translocate cadmium (Cd) from roots to shoots. Chicory can accumulate Cd from even low Cd soils to levels that might exceed regulatory guidelines for Cd in fodder crops and food. Chicory and plantain were grown in soil-filled rhizocolumns under increasing Cd levels (0 (Control), 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 mg Cd/kg soil) for 60 days and showed variable secretion of oxalic, fumaric, malic and acetic acids as a function of Cd treatment. Plant roots secrete such Low Molecular Weight Organic Acids into the rhizosphere soil, which can influence Cd uptake. Chicory showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower secretion of fumaric acid, and higher secretion of acetic acid than plantain at all Cd treatments. We propose that the significant secretion differences between the two species can explain the significantly (P < 0.05) higher shoot Cd concentration in chicory for all Cd treatments. Understanding the mechanism for increased uptake in chicory may lead to breeding or genetic modification which yield low Cd uptake cultivars needed to mitigate the risk of Cd accumulation in pastoral agricultural food chains from this increasingly important fodder crop. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: We studied the role of soil Cd on root organic acid secretion by forage species. Chicory showed higher Cd uptake than plantain. Chicory roots secreted lower fumaric acid and higher acetic acid than plantain. We explain differential uptake of Cd based on acid secretion by the plants. Abstract : 'Differences in organic acid secretion between two species explain the higher shoot Cd concentration in chicory over plantain'.