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Difference in root-to-shoot Cd translocation and characterization of Cd accumulation during fruit development in two Capsicum annuum cultivars

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Abstract

Aims

Cultivars of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) vary greatly in their fruit cadmium (Cd) concentration. Previously, we identified a low-Cd (YCT) and a high-Cd (JFZ) cultivar. In this study, we elucidated the physiological mechanisms resulting in the differences in their Cd accumulation.

Methods

A time-dependent and concentration-dependent hydroponic experiment was conducted to investigate the difference in root-to-shoot Cd translocation between the two cultivars. Furthermore, a pot experiment was carried out to determine the Cd accumulation in all plant tissues of the two cultivars during fruit development.

Results

A greater and more rapid root-to-shoot Cd translocation was observed in JFZ. Moreover, the Cd continuously increased in all plant tissues during fruit development, but following fruit development, the fruit Cd concentration decreased in both cultivars. In each cultivar, the Cd accumulated in the fruit was significantly positively correlated with fruit dry weight.

Conclusions

JFZ has a higher ability in Cd translocation from roots to shoots via the xylem. The positive correlation between fruit biomass and Cd content supports that the phloem is the major route for Cd loading into developing hot pepper fruits.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41101303 and 41201320), Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 14JJ7082 and 2015JJ6026) and the China Scholarship Council. We are grateful to Dr. Amanda R. Stiles (Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA) for English editing and valuable comments that improved the manuscript.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Environmental Pollution Control Technology, Department of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Hunan Institute of Technology, Hengyang, 421002, China

    Junliang Xin, Baifei Huang & Hongwen Dai

  2. Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3102, USA

    Junliang Xin & Baifei Huang

Authors
  1. Junliang Xin
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  2. Baifei Huang
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  3. Hongwen Dai
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Correspondence to Baifei Huang.

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Responsible Editor: Henk Schat.

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Xin, J., Huang, B. & Dai, H. Difference in root-to-shoot Cd translocation and characterization of Cd accumulation during fruit development in two Capsicum annuum cultivars. Plant Soil 394, 287–300 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2535-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2535-0

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