Genotypic variations in the accumulation of Cd exhibitedby di erent vegetables
Junxing Yang , Haitao Guo , Yibing Ma , Liqun Wang , Dongpu Wei , Luo Hua
DOI:
Received October 31, 2009,Revised January 07, 2010, Accepted , Available online
Volume 22,2010,Pages 1246-1252
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It is an important approach to use the Cd-contaminated soils properly by growing low accumulator or excluder plants for Cd to
produce safe foods. To find the suitable vegetable species for growing in Cd-contaminated soils, in the present study the variations in
the Cd accumulation for twenty eight vegetable species and several cultivars of five common vegetables (cowpea, kidney pea, bitter
gourd, cucumber and squash) were investigated in two soil Cd levels (1 and 2 mg/kg Cd). Experimental results showed that highly
significant di erences in Cd concentration were evident among 28 vegetables. For example, spinach Cd concentrations were 110-fold
and 175-fold higher than that of sweet pea under the 1 and 2 mg/kg Cd exposures, respectively. For Cd accumulation, the order of
vegetable species was: leafy vegetables > solanaceous vegetables > kale vegetables > root vegetables > allimus > melon vegetables >
legumes. Distinctive di erences were also identified when comparing di erent cultivars of the five common vegetables with an average
range of 0.003–0.094 mg/kg Cd. Our results indicated that a large genotypic variation existed among vegetable species or cultivars
when subjected to Cd exposure. Therefore, it is important and feasible to elect/breed vegetable species/cultivars with low accumulation
of Cd, especially in mildly Cd-contaminated soils.
