Seed priming and soil application of zinc decrease grain cadmium accumulation in standard and zinc-biofortified wheat cultivars
Ayta Umar A and Shahid Hussain
A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
Crop & Pasture Science 74(4) 284-293 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP22255
Submitted: 22 July 2022 Accepted: 24 October 2022 Published: 15 November 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Context: Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal for both plants and humans. Wheat grown on Cd-contaminated soils may accumulate toxic levels of Cd in grains.
Aim: This study aimed to compare soil zinc (Zn) application and seed Zn-priming for decreasing grain Cd concentration in standard and Zn-biofortified wheat cultivars grown on Cd-spiked soil.
Methods: Standard (Jauhar-2016) and Zn-biofortified (Zincol-2016) wheat cultivars were grown in pots filled with Cd-spiked soil (8 mg Cd kg−1). The tested Zn treatments were un-primed, hydro-primed, and Zn-primed seeds with and without soil Zn application at 8 mg kg−1.
Key results: Zinc treatments significantly mitigated the toxic effects of Cd on the growth and physiological parameters of both cultivars. As compared to control, all Zn treatments significantly increased Zn and decreased Cd concentration in grains of the cultivars. On average, the maximum increase in grain Zn concentration over control was approximately 36% with Zn-priming + soil Zn. The same treatment, as compared to control, decreased grain Cd concentration by 42% in Zincol-2016 and 35% in Jauhar-2016. Grain Cd concentration was within the permissible level (≤0.2 mg kg−1) in Jauhar-2016 at all Zn treatments and in Zincol-2016 at Zn-priming + soil Zn.
Conclusion: Soil Zn application, seed Zn-priming, and their combination were effective in decreasing grain Cd accumulation in wheat grown on Cd-contaminated soil.
Implication: Zinc treatments, especially the combination of soil Zn application and seed Zn-priming, should be recommended for wheat grown on Cd-contaminated soil.
Keywords: accumulation, biofortification, cadmium, calcareous soil, seed priming, soil application, wheat, zinc, zincol-2016.
References
Abbas MS, Akmal M, Ullah S, Hassan MU, Farooq S (2017) Effectiveness of zinc and gypsum application against cadmium toxicity and accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 48, 1659–1668.| Effectiveness of zinc and gypsum application against cadmium toxicity and accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Alharby HF, Al-Zahrani HS, Hakeem KR, Alsamadany H, Desoky E-SM, Rady MM (2021) Silymarin-enriched biostimulant foliar application minimizes the toxicity of cadmium in maize by suppressing oxidative stress and elevating antioxidant gene expression. Biomolecules 11, 465
| Silymarin-enriched biostimulant foliar application minimizes the toxicity of cadmium in maize by suppressing oxidative stress and elevating antioxidant gene expression.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ali I, Mahmood MT, Zafar A (2019) The new wheat variety Jauhar-16: an addition in local high yielding and rust resistant germplasm. International Journal of Biology and Biotechnology 16, 933–943.
Ali S, Bani Mfarrej MF, Hussain A, Akram NA, Rizwan M, Wang X, Maqbool A, Nafees M, Ali B (2022) Zinc fortification and alleviation of cadmium stress by application of lysine chelated zinc on different varieties of wheat and rice in cadmium stressed soil. Chemosphere 295, 133829
| Zinc fortification and alleviation of cadmium stress by application of lysine chelated zinc on different varieties of wheat and rice in cadmium stressed soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Antoniadis V, Levizou E, Shaheen SM, Ok YS, Sebastian A, Baum C, Prasad MNV, Wenzel WW, Rinklebe J (2017) Trace elements in the soil-plant interface: phytoavailability, translocation, and phytoremediation—a review. Earth-Science Reviews 171, 621–645.
| Trace elements in the soil-plant interface: phytoavailability, translocation, and phytoremediation—a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bimonte VM, Besharat ZM, Antonioni A, Cella V, Lenzi A, Ferretti E, Migliaccio S (2021) The endocrine disruptor cadmium: a new player in the pathophysiology of metabolic diseases. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation 44, 1363–1377.
| The endocrine disruptor cadmium: a new player in the pathophysiology of metabolic diseases.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cai K, Li C (2022) Ecological risk, input flux, and source of heavy metals in the agricultural plain of Hebei Province, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, 2288
| Ecological risk, input flux, and source of heavy metals in the agricultural plain of Hebei Province, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cai Y, Zhang S, Cai K, Huang F, Pan B, Wang W (2020) Cd accumulation, biomass and yield of rice are varied with silicon application at different growth phases under high concentration cadmium-contaminated soil. Chemosphere 242, 125128
| Cd accumulation, biomass and yield of rice are varied with silicon application at different growth phases under high concentration cadmium-contaminated soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Forster SM, Rickertsen JR, Mehring GH, Ransom JK (2018) Type and placement of zinc fertilizer impacts cadmium content of harvested durum wheat grain. Journal of Plant Nutrition 41, 1471–1481.
| Type and placement of zinc fertilizer impacts cadmium content of harvested durum wheat grain.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gee GW, Bauder JW (1979) Particle size analysis by hydrometer: a simplified method for routine textural analysis and a sensitivity test of measurement parameters. Soil Science Society of America Journal 43, 1004–1007.
| Particle size analysis by hydrometer: a simplified method for routine textural analysis and a sensitivity test of measurement parameters.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harris D, Rashid A, Miraj G, Arif M, Yunas M (2008) ‘On-farm’ seed priming with zinc in chickpea and wheat in Pakistan. Plant and Soil 306, 3–10.
| ‘On-farm’ seed priming with zinc in chickpea and wheat in Pakistan.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hart JJ, Welch RM, Norvell WA, Kochian LV (2002) Transport interactions between cadmium and zinc in roots of bread and durum wheat seedlings. Physiologia Plantarum 116, 73–78.
| Transport interactions between cadmium and zinc in roots of bread and durum wheat seedlings.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hassan MJ, Zhang G, Wu F, Wei K, Chen Z (2005) Zinc alleviates growth inhibition and oxidative stress caused by cadmium in rice. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 168, 255–261.
| Zinc alleviates growth inhibition and oxidative stress caused by cadmium in rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hassan N, Irshad S, Saddiq MS, Bashir S, Khan S, Wahid MA, Khan RR, Yousra M (2019) Potential of zinc seed treatment in improving stand establishment, phenology, yield and grain biofortification of wheat. Journal of Plant Nutrition 42, 1676–1692.
| Potential of zinc seed treatment in improving stand establishment, phenology, yield and grain biofortification of wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hussain S, Maqsood MA, Rengel Z, Aziz T (2012) Biofortification and estimated human bioavailability of zinc in wheat grains as influenced by methods of zinc application. Plant and Soil 361, 279–290.
| Biofortification and estimated human bioavailability of zinc in wheat grains as influenced by methods of zinc application.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hussain A, Ali S, Rizwan M, Zia ur Rehman M, Javed MR, Imran M, Chatha SAS, Nazir R (2018) Zinc oxide nanoparticles alter the wheat physiological response and reduce the cadmium uptake by plants. Environmental Pollution 242, 1518–1526.
| Zinc oxide nanoparticles alter the wheat physiological response and reduce the cadmium uptake by plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hussain S, Khan AM, Rengel Z (2019) Zinc-biofortified wheat accumulates more cadmium in grains than standard wheat when grown on cadmium-contaminated soil regardless of soil and foliar zinc application. Science of the Total Environment 654, 402–408.
| Zinc-biofortified wheat accumulates more cadmium in grains than standard wheat when grown on cadmium-contaminated soil regardless of soil and foliar zinc application.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ishfaq M, Wakeel A, Shahzad MN, Kiran A, Li X (2021) Severity of zinc and iron malnutrition linked to low intake through a staple crop: a case study in east-central Pakistan. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 43, 4219–4233.
| Severity of zinc and iron malnutrition linked to low intake through a staple crop: a case study in east-central Pakistan.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ishfaq M, Kiran A, ur Rehman H, Farooq M, Ijaz NH, Nadeem F, Azeem I, Li X, Wakeel A (2022) Foliar nutrition: potential and challenges under multifaceted agriculture. Environmental and Experimental Botany 200, 104909
| Foliar nutrition: potential and challenges under multifaceted agriculture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jones JB, Case VW (1990) Sampling, handling, and analyzing plant tissue samples. In ‘Soil testing and plant analysis’. (Ed. RL Westerman) pp. 389–427. (Soil Science Society of America: Madison, WI, USA) https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser3.3ed.c15
Khan MA, Khan S, Khan A, Alam M (2017) Soil contamination with cadmium, consequences and remediation using organic amendments. Science of the Total Environment 601–602, 1591–1605.
| Soil contamination with cadmium, consequences and remediation using organic amendments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Khan ZS, Rizwan M, Hafeez M, Ali S, Javed MR, Adrees M (2019) The accumulation of cadmium in wheat (Triticum aestivum) as influenced by zinc oxide nanoparticles and soil moisture conditions. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 26, 19859–19870.
| The accumulation of cadmium in wheat (Triticum aestivum) as influenced by zinc oxide nanoparticles and soil moisture conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kiran A, Wakeel A, Ishaq R, Mubaraka R, Ishfaq M, Mahmood A (2020) Zinc priming of maize seed enhances root to shoot Zn translocation but not of analogous heavy metals. The Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences 31, 1043–1051.
| Zinc priming of maize seed enhances root to shoot Zn translocation but not of analogous heavy metals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lair GJ, Graf M, Zehetner F, Gerzabek MH (2008) Distribution of cadmium among geochemical fractions in floodplain soils of progressing development. Environmental Pollution 156, 207–214.
| Distribution of cadmium among geochemical fractions in floodplain soils of progressing development.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Liu L, Li W, Song W, Guo M (2018) Remediation techniques for heavy metal-contaminated soils: principles and applicability. Science of the Total Environment 633, 206–219.
| Remediation techniques for heavy metal-contaminated soils: principles and applicability.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Loeppert RH, Suarez DL (1996) Carbonate and gypsum. In ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 3. Chemical methods’. (Eds DL Sparks, AL Page, PA Helmke, RH Loeppert, PN Soltanpour, MA Tabatabai, CT Johnston, ME Sumner) pp. 437–474. (Soil Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy: Madison, WI, USA) https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser5.3.c15
Lowe NM, Zaman M, Khan MJ, Brazier AKM, Shahzad B, Ullah U, Khobana G, Ohly H, Broadley MR, Zia MH, McArdle HJ, Joy EJM, Bailey EH, Young SD, Suh J, King JC, Sinclair J, Tishkovskaya S (2022) Biofortified wheat increases dietary zinc intake: a randomised controlled efficacy study of zincol-2016 in rural Pakistan. Frontiers in Nutrition 8, 809783
| Biofortified wheat increases dietary zinc intake: a randomised controlled efficacy study of zincol-2016 in rural Pakistan.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Murtaza G, Javed W, Hussain A, Qadir M, Aslam M (2017) Soil-applied zinc and copper suppress cadmium uptake and improve the performance of cereals and legumes. International Journal of Phytoremediation 19, 199–206.
| Soil-applied zinc and copper suppress cadmium uptake and improve the performance of cereals and legumes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1996) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In ‘Methods soil analysis. Part 2. Chemical methods’. (Eds DL Sparks, AL Page, PA Helmke, RH Loeppert, PN Soltanpour, MA Tabatabai, CT Johnston, ME Sumner) pp. 539–579. (Soil Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy: Madison, WI, USA) https://doi.org/10.2134/agronmonogr9.2.2ed.c29
PARC (2017) Improve nutrition and public health by developing biofortified food crops at NARC. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council 2–4. http://www.parc.gov.pk/index.php/en/about-narc/12-news-events/news/1151-improve-nutrition-and-public-health-by-developing-biofortified-food-crops-at-narc
Parmar P, Kumari N, Sharma V (2013) Structural and functional alterations in photosynthetic apparatus of plants under cadmium stress. Botanical Studies 54, 45
| Structural and functional alterations in photosynthetic apparatus of plants under cadmium stress.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Praharaj S, Skalicky M, Maitra S, Bhadra P, Shankar T, Brestic M, Hejnak V, Vachova P, Hossain A (2021) Zinc biofortification in food crops could alleviate the zinc malnutrition in human health. Molecules 26, 3509
| Zinc biofortification in food crops could alleviate the zinc malnutrition in human health.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Qaswar M, Hussain S, Rengel Z (2017) Zinc fertilisation increases grain zinc and reduces grain lead and cadmium concentrations more in zinc-biofortified than standard wheat cultivar. Science of the Total Environment 605–606, 454–460.
| Zinc fertilisation increases grain zinc and reduces grain lead and cadmium concentrations more in zinc-biofortified than standard wheat cultivar.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Quinn GP, Keough MJ (2002) ‘Experimental design and data analysis for biologists.’ (Cambridge University Press: New York, NY, USA) https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511806384
Riaz MU, Ayub MA, Khalid H, ul Haq MA, Rasul A, ur Rehman MZ, Ali S (2020) Fate of micronutrients in alkaline soils. In ‘Resources use efficiency in agriculture’. (Eds S Kumar, RS Meena, MK Jhariya) pp. 577–613. (Springer Singapore: Singapore) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6953-1_16
Rizwan M, Ali S, Hussain A, Ali Q, Shakoor MB, Zia-ur-Rehman M, Farid M, Asma M (2017) Effect of zinc-lysine on growth, yield and cadmium uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and health risk assessment. Chemosphere 187, 35–42.
| Effect of zinc-lysine on growth, yield and cadmium uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and health risk assessment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rizwan M, Ali S, Ali B, Adrees M, Arshad M, Hussain A, Zia ur Rehman M, Waris AA (2019) Zinc and iron oxide nanoparticles improved the plant growth and reduced the oxidative stress and cadmium concentration in wheat. Chemosphere 214, 269–277.
| Zinc and iron oxide nanoparticles improved the plant growth and reduced the oxidative stress and cadmium concentration in wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Singh P, Mitra P, Goyal T, Sharma S, Sharma P (2021) Blood lead and cadmium levels in occupationally exposed workers and their effect on markers of DNA damage and repair. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 43, 185–193.
| Blood lead and cadmium levels in occupationally exposed workers and their effect on markers of DNA damage and repair.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Soltanpour PN, Workman S (1979) Modification of the NH4HCO3-DTPA soil test to omit carbon black. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 10, 1411–1420.
| Modification of the NH4HCO3-DTPA soil test to omit carbon black.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Song Y, Jin L, Wang X (2017) Cadmium absorption and transportation pathways in plants. International Journal of Phytoremediation 19, 133–141.
| Cadmium absorption and transportation pathways in plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sperdouli I, Adamakis I-D, Dobrikova A, Apostolova E, Hanć A, Moustakas M (2022) Excess zinc supply reduces cadmium uptake and mitigates cadmium toxicity effects on chloroplast structure, oxidative stress, and photosystem II photochemical efficiency in Salvia sclarea plants. Toxics 10, 36
| Excess zinc supply reduces cadmium uptake and mitigates cadmium toxicity effects on chloroplast structure, oxidative stress, and photosystem II photochemical efficiency in Salvia sclarea plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Suhani I, Sahab S, Srivastava V, Singh RP (2021) Impact of cadmium pollution on food safety and human health. Current Opinion in Toxicology 27, 1–7.
| Impact of cadmium pollution on food safety and human health.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tavarez M, Macri A, Sankaran RP (2015) Cadmium and zinc partitioning and accumulation during grain filling in two near isogenic lines of durum wheat. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 97, 461–469.
| Cadmium and zinc partitioning and accumulation during grain filling in two near isogenic lines of durum wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Umar A, Hussain S (2020) The role of zinc in grain cadmium accumulation in cereals. In ‘Plant micronutrients’. (Eds T Aftab, KR Hakeem) pp. 455–470. (Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49856-6_20
Wang H, Xu C, Luo Z-c, Zhu H-h, Wang S, Zhu Q-h, Huang D-y, Zhang Y-z, Xiong J, He Y-b (2018) Foliar application of Zn can reduce Cd concentrations in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under field conditions. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25, 29287–29294.
| Foliar application of Zn can reduce Cd concentrations in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under field conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wu C, Dun Y, Zhang Z, Li M, Wu G (2020) Foliar application of selenium and zinc to alleviate wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cadmium toxicity and uptake from cadmium-contaminated soil. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 190, 110091
| Foliar application of selenium and zinc to alleviate wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cadmium toxicity and uptake from cadmium-contaminated soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yang Y, Wang L, Che Z, Wang R, Cui R, Xu H, Chu S, Jiao Y, Zhang H, Yu D, Zhang D (2022) Novel target sites for soybean yield enhancement by photosynthesis. Journal of Plant Physiology 268, 153580
| Novel target sites for soybean yield enhancement by photosynthesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zheng L, Yamaji N, Yokosho K, Ma JF (2012) YSL16 is a phloem-localized transporter of the copper-nicotianamine complex that is responsible for copper distribution in rice. The Plant Cell 24, 3767–3782.
| YSL16 is a phloem-localized transporter of the copper-nicotianamine complex that is responsible for copper distribution in rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zheng X, Chen L, Li X (2018) Arabidopsis and rice showed a distinct pattern in ZIPs genes expression profile in response to Cd stress. Botanical Studies 59, 22
| Arabidopsis and rice showed a distinct pattern in ZIPs genes expression profile in response to Cd stress.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhou Z, Zhang B, Liu H, Liang X, Ma W, Shi Z, Yang S (2019) Zinc effects on cadmium toxicity in two wheat varieties (Triticum aestivum L.) differing in grain cadmium accumulation. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 183, 109562
| Zinc effects on cadmium toxicity in two wheat varieties (Triticum aestivum L.) differing in grain cadmium accumulation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhou J, Zhang C, Du B, Cui H, Fan X, Zhou D, Zhou J (2020) Effects of zinc application on cadmium (Cd) accumulation and plant growth through modulation of the antioxidant system and translocation of Cd in low- and high-Cd wheat cultivars. Environmental Pollution 265, 115045
| Effects of zinc application on cadmium (Cd) accumulation and plant growth through modulation of the antioxidant system and translocation of Cd in low- and high-Cd wheat cultivars.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zia MH, Ahmed I, Bailey EH, Lark RM, Young SD, Lowe NM, Joy EJM, Wilson L, Zaman M, Broadley MR (2020) Site-specific factors influence the field performance of a Zn-biofortified wheat variety. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 4, 135
| Site-specific factors influence the field performance of a Zn-biofortified wheat variety.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
