Agronomic traits and ionomics influence on Cd accumulation in various sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) genotypes.

Cd is a common pollutant that contaminates the ecological environment of soil-crop systems and threatens food security and human health. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) has a great potential for use as energy feedstock and Cd phytoremediation. Therefore, the identification of sorghum genotypes with high Cd accumulation is of great significance to Cd pollution remediation and production of bioenergy. A total of 126 biomass sorghum genotypes grown in a Cd-polluted field were investigated, and their agronomic traits were analyzed, including plant height, leaf number, shoot dry weight (SDW), soil and plant analyzer development (SPAD) value, and concentration of metal ions at seedling stage. Plant height was an important factor for screening potential biomass sorghum species because it presented a significant correlation with the Cd concentration in shoots and SDW (P < 0.01). The highest and lowest Cd concentration in sorghum shoots were 7.88 and 0.99 mg kg-1, respectively. The Cd concentration presented a negative and significant correlation with Mn in sorghum shoots (r = -0.303, P < 0.01), which was in agreement with the results that sorghum species with high Cd concentrations have lower Mn concentrations. In the mature stage, sorghum 12530 presented higher Cd concentration and dry weight in shoots compared with other genotypes. In summary, plant height, SDW, and concentration of Mn in sorghum shoots are critical parameters that synthetically influence the accumulation of Cd in sorghum shoots.

Foliar Application of Zn-EDTA at Early Filling Stage to Increase Grain Zn and Fe, and Reduce Grain Cd, Pb and Grain Yield in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

The accumulation of Cd and Pb in rice grains poses a potential threat to human health, which is a subject of increasing concern across the globe. We examined the effect that foliar spraying of Zn-ethylenediaminetetraacetate (Zn-EDTA) (0.3% and 0.5% w/v) during the early-grain filling stage has on rice grain yield and Cd, Pb, Zn and Fe contents in rice tissues via a field experiment. The grain yield significantly decreased with the foliar application of 0.5% Zn-EDTA. In rice grain, foliar spraying of 0.5% Zn-EDTA significantly decreased the Cd and Pb contents, but increased the Zn and Fe contents. The main reasons for the decrease in the Cd and Pb content in grain were the inhibition of Cd and Pb by roots and the increased Fe content in grain via Zn-EDTA application. The foliar spraying of Zn-EDTA decreased the grain yield and Cd and Pb contents, while increased the Zn and Fe contents in grains.