Abstract
SUMMARYIn this study, 71 durum wheat cultivars (Triticum durum Desf.), 22 emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum L.) and 11 wild emmer (Triticum dicoccoides L.) genotypes were genetically characterized to determine the alleles associated with high cadmium (Cd) content. After genotypic characterization, 14 cultivars selected among all genotypes with low and high Cd content were phenotyped by a pot experiment to verify the genotypic data. Identification of 32 durum wheat, one emmer wheat and four wild emmer genotypes showed that they have alleles associated with high Cd content, while 68 genotypes of which 39 durum wheat, 21 emmer wheat and 7 wild emmer cultivars had alleles associated with low Cd content, respectively. Moreover, phenotypic data obtained from pot experiment were similar to the molecular data. To sum up, the marker successfully classified durum wheat cultivars into either high or low accumulators and these results can be safely used in breeding programs to improve new durum wheat cultivars with alleles associated with low Cd content. Due to routine use of phosphorus fertilizers in agricultural areas and other anthropogenic factors related to Cd toxicity, new durum wheat cultivars with low Cd content should be urgently developed for safe production of macaroni or other types of wheat products for human and animal consumption.
Highlights
The accumulation of heavy metals in the soil has a major impact on the environment
Cd mass fractions in underground parts of cultivars grown in the soil with the addition of 8 mg/kg Cd were determined and the results showed that most of the added Cd was accumulated by the plants (Fig. 2c)
Cd is released into the environment in many ways, including the use of intensive phosphate fertilizers, sewage sludge and fossil fuel combustion in addition to natural Cd sources, and Cd contamination of the soils has increased worldwide
Summary
The accumulation of heavy metals in the soil has a major impact on the environment. Heavy metals accumulated in the soil are stored in plant tissues over time and, pose a threat to human and animal health [1,2]. In Sweden, phosphorus fertilizers have been subjected to taxes when the Cd mass fraction exceeds 5 mg/kg and imports of phosphorous fertilizers with a Cd mass fraction above 100 mg/kg are prohibited [6]. This implementation encourages the production of low-Cd fertilizers and reduces Cd input into the soil
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