Abstract
Blueberry (Vaccinium ssp.) is a perennial shrub belonging to the family Ericaceae, which is highly tolerant of acid soils and heavy metal pollution. In the present study, blueberry was subjected to cadmium (Cd) stress in simulated pot culture. The transcriptomics and rhizosphere fungal diversity of blueberry were analyzed, and the iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) content of blueberry tissues, soil and DGT was determined. A correlation analysis was also performed. A total of 84 374 annotated genes were identified in the root, stem, leaf and fruit tissue of blueberry, of which 3370 were DEGs, and in stem tissue, of which 2521 were DEGs. The annotation data showed that these DEGs were mainly concentrated in a series of metabolic pathways related to signal transduction, defense and the plant–pathogen response. Blueberry transferred excess Cd from the root to the stem for storage, and the highest levels of Cd were found in stem tissue, consistent with the results of transcriptome analysis, while the lowest Cd concentration occurred in the fruit, Cd also inhibited the absorption of other metal elements by blueberry. A series of genes related to Cd regulation were screened by analyzing the correlation between heavy metal content and transcriptome results. The roots of blueberry rely on mycorrhiza to absorb nutrients from the soil. The presence of Cd has a significant effect on the microbial community composition of the blueberry rhizosphere. The fungal family Coniochaetaceae, which is extremely extremelytolerant, has gradually become the dominant population. The results of this study increase our understanding of the plant regulation mechanism for heavy metals, and suggest potential methods of soil remediation using blueberry.
Highlights
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that accumulates in soil as a result of air and water circulation, and acts on the human body through the food chain
Overall transcription of blueberry under Cd stress Some studies have suggested that blueberry, a plant that grows in acid soil, is the dominant species in acid soil that is contaminated with heavy metals, but there has been little research on the mechanism of heavy metal tolerance in this species at the molecular level
Conclusions and future prospects Blueberry, a perennial shrub that thrives in acid soil, is considered to be the dominant plant species in acid soils polluted with heavy metal compounds
Summary
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that accumulates in soil as a result of air and water circulation, and acts on the human body through the food chain. It was introduced and domesticated successfully in the early twentieth century It is only within the last 20 years that, as the unique flavour and high nutritional value of this crop have led to growing demand for its production, its cultivation area has expanded rapidly worldwide, in Europe, North America, South America and Asia, including China [8]. Chen et al studied blueberry plants that had been cultivated in Cd-contaminated soil, and found that the Cd content of the fruit was not significantly affected by soil pollution [17], which suggests a potential new role for this plant as a remediation species in acid soil contaminated with heavy metals
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