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Effects of cultivars and water management on cadmium accumulation in water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.)

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Abstract

Background and aims

Water spinach is a common leafy vegetable in Asia, with a strong ability to accumulate cadmium (Cd) in its edible parts. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of cultivar variation and water management on Cd accumulation in this plant.

Methods

Three experiments were conducted: a soil pot trial with 32 cultivars, a rhizobox trial with 4 cultivars under flooded and non-flooded conditions and an uptake kinetics trial with 2 cultivars.

Results

There were significant differences in Cd accumulation between the different cultivars, and Cd concentrations in shoots were significantly lower in the flooded (0.25–1.4, mean 0.90 mg kg−1 DW) than in the non-flooded (1.9–4.7, 3.2 mg kg−1) treatments. Cultivars with a low Cd accumulation had a lower Cd bioavailability and mobility in the rhizosphere soil, higher Cd combined with Fe plaque on roots, lower Cd uptake capacity by roots, and lower Cd transfer factors than those with a high Cd accumulation.

Conclusions

Water spinach grown under anaerobic conditions effectively reduces Cd accumulation in edible parts. Low Cd-accumulating cultivars tend to possess a high ability to reduce Cd bioavailability in rhizosphere soil, as well as decrease Cd uptake, and translocation from root to shoot.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30770417), a Start-up Research Grant for Newly Recruited Professors/(Research) Chair Professors, The Hong Kong Institute of Education (RG24/13-14R) and National ‘863’ projects of China (2012AA061510). We thank Prof. A.J.M. Baker (The Universities of Melbourne and Queensland, Australia) for help in the initial preparation and improvement of this paper and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol & College of Ecology and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People’s Republic of China

    Qingqing Xiao, Lu Huang & Zhihong Ye

  2. Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), & Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China

    Ming Hung Wong

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  1. Qingqing Xiao
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  2. Ming Hung Wong
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Correspondence to Zhihong Ye.

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Responsible Editor: Juan Barcelo.

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Xiao, Q., Wong, M.H., Huang, L. et al. Effects of cultivars and water management on cadmium accumulation in water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.). Plant Soil 391, 33–49 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2409-5

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