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Reduced root mycorrhizal colonization as affected by phosphorus fertilization is responsible for high cadmium accumulation in wheat

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Abstract

Aims

Phosphorus (P) fertilizers are often considered an important source of cadmium (Cd) in crop plants. However, increased plant Cd concentrations are not strictly related to the Cd content of P fertilizers. Considering this, we hypothesized that, alternatively, reduction of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization by P fertilization enhances Cd accumulation in plants.

Methods

Wheat and canola as mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal species, respectively, were grown under greenhouse conditions with and without soil sterilization. Phosphorus fertilizers with 0.09, 5, and 28 mg Cd kg−1 were applied at different rates with varied zinc (Zn) fertilization.

Results

In wheat, all three P fertilizers markedly increased shoot and grain Cd concentrations as P supply was increased, irrespective of the Cd concentration in the fertilizers. These increases were pronounced with soil sterilization or at low zinc supply. Adding mycorrhizal fungi to sterilized soil substantially decreased shoot Cd concentrations. We found a strong negative relationship in wheat between mycorrhizal colonization and shoot Cd concentration, for both high- and low-Cd fertilizers. In contrast to wheat, shoot Cd concentrations in canola showed virtually no response to P supply or soil sterilization. High Zn application also reduced plant Cd concentrations, especially at high P rates.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate the critical importance of mycorrhizal colonization in reducing Cd accumulation in wheat, and suggest that factors suppressing root mycorrhizal activity including P fertilization, will increase Cd uptake in mycorrhizal plants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956, Tuzla, Istanbul, Turkey

    M. Atilla Yazici, Muhammad Asif, Yusuf Tutus, Levent Ozturk & Ismail Cakmak

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, University of Cukurova, 01330, Adana, Turkey

    Ibrahim Ortas

  3. School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway , Crawley (Perth), WA, 6009, Australia

    Hans Lambers

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  1. M. Atilla Yazici
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  2. Muhammad Asif
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  3. Yusuf Tutus
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  4. Ibrahim Ortas
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  5. Levent Ozturk
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  6. Hans Lambers
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  7. Ismail Cakmak
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Contributions

M.A.Y. and M. A. designed and conducted all experiments, analyzed the data, drafted the manuscript; Y.T. Analyzed samples for determination of Cd and mineral nutrients; I.O. analyzed root samples for mycorrhizal colonization and contributed to interpretation of data; L.O. conducted statistical analysis and participated in the drafting article; H.L. critically reviewed the manuscript, contributed to intellectual content and the write up; I.C. conceived the idea, conceptualized the study, provided guidelines for conducting experiments, drafted and revised the manuscript. All authors contributed critically to the manuscript and gave final approval for publication.

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Correspondence to Ismail Cakmak.

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Responsible Editor: Fangjie Zhao.

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M. Atilla Yazici and Muhammad Asif are joint first authors.

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Yazici, M.A., Asif, M., Tutus, Y. et al. Reduced root mycorrhizal colonization as affected by phosphorus fertilization is responsible for high cadmium accumulation in wheat. Plant Soil 468, 19–35 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05041-5

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