ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Uptake, Accumulation, and Toxic Effects
of Cadmium in Barnyardgrass
(Echinochloa crus-galli)
Qiong Peng, Wei Chen, Lamei Wu, Lianyang Bai
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Biotechnology Research Center, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences,
Changsha, 410125, Hunan, the People’s Republic of China
Collaborative Innovation Center for Field Weeds Control,
Loudi, 417000, Hunan, the People’s Republic of China
Submission date: 2016-08-19
Final revision date: 2016-10-10
Acceptance date: 2016-10-11
Online publication date: 2017-03-22
Publication date: 2017-03-22
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2017;26(2):779-784
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ABSTRACT
Cadmium (Cd) is regarded as one of the most toxic environmental pollutants. A better understanding of
the growth response, uptake, and translocation of Cd in barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) would be
helpful for evaluating the role of this grass species as a potential candidate to be used for phytoremediation.
The studied plants were grown in treated soils with increasing doses of Cd (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.5 mg·kg-1).
The results showed that Cd contents in plant tissues were found to increase with increasing doses of Cd. The
pattern of Cd accumulation in different parts of the plant were found as: root > aboveground part > seed.
Translocation factor (TF) values were found to be less than 1, and translocation from root to aboveground part
was found to be higher as compared to that of aboveground part to seed. There was no significant difference
on the aboveground part fresh weight (FW) and tiller number per plant under different concentrations of
Cd stress. The root FW and the lengths of roots and shoots were significantly decreased in response to Cd
treatments at low concentrations. However, the 1.5 mg·kg-1 Cd application didn’t affect significant changes
on the root and shoot length than that of the control. A high concentration of cadmium supply could promote
chlorophyll content. SOD showed a similar trend to POD in Cd-exposed plants, with an increase at lower
concentrations and a decrease at higher concentrations.