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Selenium inhibits cadmium uptake and accumulation in the shoots of winte wheat by altering the transformation of chemical forms of cadmium in soil

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of selenium application on cadmium absorption, transport, and soil cadmium forms of winter wheat at different stages. A pot experiment with one Cd application (6 mg·kg−1) and five Se application levels (0, 1, 2, 5, and 10 mg·kg−1) was conducted. The results showed that Se application increased the grain yield of winter wheat, especially at 5 mg·kg−1 under Cd stress. As Se was supplied at 5 (Se5) and 10 (Se10) mg·kg−1, the Cd concentrations in roots and shoots, including stems, spikes, glumes, and grains, decreased at different growth stages, and the decreases in grain were 46.1% and 70.9% respectively. Se5 and Se10 also significantly decreased the translocation factors of Cd from roots to shoots, roots to stems, stems to spikes, and glumes to grains, promoted the accumulation of Cd in roots, and inhibited the accumulation of Cd in shoots and final grains at different growth stages, and the accumulation of Cd in grains decreased by 16.9% and 68.1%, respectively. High levels of Se application (Se5 and Se10) decreased the concentrations and proportions of exchangeable Cd (EXC−Cd) and iron (Fe)−manganese (Mn) oxide−bound Cd (R2O3−Cd) but increased the concentration and proportion of residual Cd (RES−Cd) in both soils with wheat and fallow soil at different growth stages. Therefore, under Cd stress, high levels of Se application reduced the shoot Cd concentration by inhibiting the uptake and transport of Cd from roots to shoots, and decreased the bioavailability of Cd in both soil with wheat and fallow by enhancing the transformation and distribution of RES-Cd from EXC-Cd and R2O3-Cd.

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Abbreviations

Cd:

Cadmium

Se:

Selenium

EXC−Cd:

Exchangeable Cd

R2O3−Cd:

Iron (Fe)−manganese (Mn) oxide−bound Cd

CA−Cd:

Carbonate−bound Cd

OM−Cd:

Organic−bound Cd

RES−Cd:

Residual Cd

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Acknowledgements

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Funding

This research was financially supported by the Basic Research Project of Henan Education Department (Program No. 19zx007) and the Key Scientific and Technological Projects in Henan Province (202102110214).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Resources and Environment College, Henan Agricultural University, No.63, Nongye Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, 450002, Henan Province, China

    Xiaoming Qin, Peng Zhao, Hongen Liu, Zhaojun Nie, Jiaojiao Zhu, Shiyu Qin & Chang Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Soil Pollution Control and Remediation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450002, Henan Province, China

    Xiaoming Qin, Peng Zhao, Hongen Liu, Zhaojun Nie, Jiaojiao Zhu, Shiyu Qin & Chang Li

Authors
  1. Xiaoming Qin
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  2. Peng Zhao
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  3. Hongen Liu
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  4. Zhaojun Nie
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  5. Jiaojiao Zhu
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  6. Shiyu Qin
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  7. Chang Li
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Contributions

Zhaojun Nie and Hongen Liu conceived and designed the experiments. Peng Zhao, Jiaojiao Zhu, Shiyu Qin, and Chang Li performed the experiments. Xiaoming Qin analyzed the data and wrote the paper. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Hongen Liu or Zhaojun Nie.

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Responsible Editor: Gangrong Shi

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Qin, X., Zhao, P., Liu, H. et al. Selenium inhibits cadmium uptake and accumulation in the shoots of winte wheat by altering the transformation of chemical forms of cadmium in soil. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 8525–8537 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16290-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16290-3

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