Abstract
Given the increasing problems of water and soil contamination with cadmium (Cd), it is necessary to investigate the genetic and physiological mechanisms of tolerance to this metal in different crops, which can be used for the development of effective crop management strategies. This study aimed to assess the potential of grafting as a strategy to increase Cd tolerance and reduce absorption in tomato by evaluating the contribution of the root system and aerial parts for tolerance mechanisms. To this end, reciprocal grafting and diallel analyses were used to examine the combining ability of contrasting tomato genotypes under exposure to 0 and 35 µM CdCl2. Roots and above-ground parts were found to have specific mechanisms of Cd tolerance, absorption, and accumulation. Grafting of the USP15 genotype (scion) on USP16 (rootstock) provided the greatest synergism, increasing the tolerance index and reducing the translocation index and Cd accumulation in leaves. USP163 exhibited potential for breeding programs that target genotypes with high Cd tolerance. In tomato, both Cd tolerance and accumulation in aerial parts are genotype- and tissue-specific, controlled by a complex system of complementary mechanisms that need to be better understood to support the development of strategies to reduce Cd contamination in aerial parts.
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Funding
The authors thank the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (grant number 2018/22671–8 to FAP; grant numbers 2020/12666–7 and 2022/11018–7 to DNM (from Brazil); and grant numbers 20200/00133–4 and 2022/02110–7 to MEAC). RML thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) (grant number 140280/2019–7). RAA also thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the research fellowship (303708/2021–2). The authors thank financial support in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior-Brasil (CAPES) (Finance Code 001).
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FAP and RAA contributed to the study’s conception and design. RML prepared the experiment and collected and analyzed the data. MLN contributed to data analysis and interpretations. Statistical analyses were performed by FAP. DNM and MEAC contributed in interpretations and correction of the manuscript. The first draft of the manuscript was written by FAP and RML, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Lupp, R.M., Marques, D.N., Lima Nogueira, M. et al. Cadmium tolerance in tomato: determination of organ-specific contribution by diallel analysis using reciprocal grafts. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 215–227 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31230-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31230-z