Abstract
ObjectiveHumans consume low quantities of cadmium (Cd), a non-nutritive and potentially toxic heavy metal, primarily via the dietary intake of grains. A trial experiment was conducted to investigate physiological and developmental differences in Cd content in four flax cultivars (‘AC Emerson’, ‘Flanders’, ‘CDC Bethune’, and ‘AC McDuff’) as part of a study to provide information that will assist in the breeding of low Cd-accumulating flax cultivars. Our objective was to identify varietal differences in the uptake and distribution of Cd in various tissues among flax cultivars grown in naturally Cd-containing soil in a controlled environment.ResultsCadmium concentration was dependent on genotype, developmental stage, and tissue type, as well as their interaction. Cadmium concentration was higher in roots and leaves, relative to all other tissues, with a general trend of decreasing Cd content over time within leaves and stems. Notably, the concentration of Cd was higher in ‘AC Emerson’ relative to ‘AC McDuff’ across tissues and ages, including the seeds, while the concentration of ‘Flanders’ was higher than in ‘AC McDuff’ in seeds and other reproductive organs but similar in roots and leaves. The results suggest varietal differences in the mechanisms that determine Cd content in seeds.
Highlights
Cadmium (Cd), a heavy, non-nutritive, and potentially toxic metal, is found naturally in the environment at low levels, anthropogenic activities have resulted in substantially higher levels in the soil [1]
Four Canadian flax cultivars were selected for this study: ‘CDC Bethune’ [14], ‘AC Emerson’ [15], ‘Flanders’ [16], and ‘AC McDuff ’ [17]
Tissue and developmental stage interact to determine Cd concentration in flax Cd concentration was measured in roots, stems, leaves and shoot tips in the four flax cultivars at various stages of development
Summary
Accumulation of Cd in flowers, immature bolls and seeds Using a two-way ANOVA we determined that genotype and tissue stably affect Cd concentration within reproductive structures (Additional file 2: Table S1). The concentration of Cd in leaves was similar in ‘CDC Bethune’, ‘Flanders’ and ‘AC McDuff ’ (mean of 5.27 ± 0.10 mg/kg), and was significantly lower than in ‘AC Emerson’ (7.18 ± 0.29 mg/kg). The developmental pattern of Cd concentration was similar in ‘AC Emerson’ and ‘Flanders’, and in ‘CDC Bethune’ and ‘AC McDuff ’. Roots of ‘CDC Bethune’ and ‘AC McDuff ’, had a higher concentration of Cd at the first developmental stage compared to maturity, but showed no differences among the first flower stage, full flowering stage, and at maturity (Fig. 2; Additional file 3). Genotypic differences were not observed in roots at maturity, most interesting is the consistently higher Cd concentration in ‘AC Emerson’ compared to ‘AC McDuff ’ during all stages of active growth. The concentration in roots and leaves were similar, but some genotype-specific differences were observed at the first three developmental stages (Fig. 2)
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