不同耐性水稻幼苗根系对镉胁迫的形态及生理响应

采用水培试验,以两个耐镉性不同的水稻品种为材料,研究了不同浓度镉胁迫对水稻幼苗根系形态、根系活力、游离脯氨酸含量及抗氧化酶活性的影响。结果表明:低于5 μmol/L Cd胁迫对2个水稻品种总根长、根表面积、根体积、根干重、根系活力无明显影响,在1 μmol/L Cd时,甚至起促进作用。随Cd浓度增加表现出一定的抑制效应,秀水63在10 μmol/L Cd胁迫下根系形态、根系活力明显受到抑制,而秀水09在25 μmol/L Cd胁迫下明显受抑。随Cd胁迫浓度的增加,游离脯氨酸含量、丙二醛(MDA)含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性均呈上升趋势,两品种相比,秀水09的游离脯氨酸含量、SOD和POD增幅大于秀水63,而MDA含量增幅小于秀水63;过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性变化表现为先上升后下降,10-100 μmol/L Cd胁迫下秀水63根系中CAT活性明显低于秀水09。总之,水稻对Cd毒害响应存在明显的品种差异,且Cd胁迫下根系生理响应的差异是品种间耐性差异的重要原因之一。     

CO2浓度升高对不同品种水稻镉吸收和根形态的影响

为了探讨CO2浓度升高下不同水稻品种荣优398 (RY)和粤杂889(YZ)吸收重金属Cd差异性的原因,利用水培试验研究了不同浓度Cd处理下两种水稻吸收Cd的差异及根形态的变化特征.结果表明:低Cd处理(5、10、20 μmol·L-1)显著增加水稻生物量;当Cd浓度高于50 μmol·L-1时,Cd胁迫效果开始显现,水稻生物量减少.CO2浓度升高显著增加了水稻的生物量,增加了YZ茎Cd含量而降低了RY茎Cd含量.在5～200 μmol·L-1的Cd浓度下,CO2浓度升高增加了YZ活性根在总根长中的比例,降低了RY活性根的比例.CO2浓度升高下不同水稻品种根形态的变化是导致其对Cd吸收差异性的原因之一.     

不同镉污染土壤下水稻镉富集与转运效率

选取适合湖南种植的48个水稻品种(系)在中轻度和重度镉污染土壤上进行盆栽试验,通过分析水稻籽粒产量、各器官富集系数、转运系数及植株净化效率,探明不同镉污染土壤对水稻镉富集、转运及净化效率的影响。结果表明:中轻度和重度镉污染土壤下糙米Cd含量、籽粒产量分别为0.010~0.048 mg·kg~(-1)、96.63~152.55 g·盆~(-1)和0.105~0.476mg·kg~(-1)、101.10~165.12 g·盆~(-1),重度镉污染土壤明显促进糙米镉含量增加,但对籽粒产量影响不大;中轻度和重度镉污染土壤下糙米镉富集效率和产量均不存在显著相关性;依据产量和糙米镉富集效率进行聚类分析,将所有品种在中轻度镉污染土壤下分为低镉低产组、低镉高产组;重度镉污染土壤分为高镉低产组、高镉高产组;两种镉污染土壤水稻各器官镉富集大小顺序均为糙米叶茎秆根系,转运效率则为土-根茎-叶茎-糙米根-茎,土壤镉主要转运至根部并富集于根部;水稻镉富集及转运效率受产量因素影响较小,但受土壤镉浓度影响较大;重度镉污染土壤明显增强水稻各器官镉富集和根-糙米各环节镉转运效率,较中轻度镉污染土壤增幅显著;水稻根部的净化效率远高于地上部分。     

水稻幼苗根对羧基化多壁碳纳米管复合镉胁迫的生长生理响应

为了探究羧基化多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs-COOH)复合镉(Cd)胁迫对植物生长生理的影响,采用液体培养方法,以水稻(Oryza sativa L.)为受试作物,测定了0～12.0 mg·L~(-1)MWCNTs-COOH、10μmol·L~(-1)Cd单一和复合处理水稻幼苗21天后根生长、氧化损伤、抗氧化酶活性及根中Cd含量的变化。结果表明:(1)MWCNTs-COOH单一处理,根长、根鲜重均低于对照,并表现出先升高后降低的趋势,当其浓度达到12.0 mg·L~(-1)时,较对照分别下降了9.3%和15.2%,且低于10μmol·L~(-1)Cd单一处理;而复合处理组水稻幼苗根长、根鲜重、干重皆低于对应的单一处理;(2)MWCNTs-COOH单一胁迫下,水稻根的超氧自由基(O_2~(-·))明显积累,并伴随着超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)及过氧化物酶(POD)活性升高,3.0和6.0mg·L~(-1)MWCNTs-COOH处理下,SOD、POD活性最高;(3)MWCNTs-COOH复合Cd胁迫下,水稻根的SOD、POD活性大均低于单一处理组,而丙二醛(MDA)及羰基化蛋白含量均显著高于单一处理;(4)MWCNTs-COOH复合Cd后,水稻幼苗根尖细胞死亡加剧,其中,10μmol·L~(-1)Cd与12.0 mg·L~(-1)MWCNTs-COOH复合处理的根尖根冠区细胞伊文斯蓝染色最深;(5)1.5～6.0 mg·L~(-1)MWCNTs-COOH复合Cd处理水稻幼苗后,其根中Cd含量呈上升趋势,且在6.0 mg·L~(-1)浓度处理时达到最大值303.30μg·g~(-1);高浓度MWCNTs-COOH及其与Cd的复合均对水稻根产生毒性效应。     

锌对镉胁迫下马蔺生长、镉积累及生理抗性的影响

通过溶液培养研究了不同浓度锌(Zn)对镉(Cd)胁迫下马蔺(Iris lacteavar. chinen-sis)生长、Cd积累及抗氧化酶活性等的影响.结果表明:加入1~100mg.L-1Zn后,Cd胁迫下马蔺地上部Cd含量变化不大,而地下部Cd含量显著增加并呈先增后降的趋势;1mg.L-1Zn处理下马蔺地下部Cd含量最高,比对照显著增加51.4%;Zn浓度高于1mg.L-1后Cd含量均出现不同程度的下降,但仍高于对照.与单独Cd处理(10mg.L-1)相比,添加低浓度Zn(1~10mg.L-1)后,马蔺地上部生物量和叶绿素含量呈增加趋势,丙二醛(MDA)含量降低;在10mg.L-1Zn处理下,叶绿素a、b含量达到峰值,分别增加5.21%和22.27%,MDA含量降低25.46%,表明低浓度Zn缓解了Cd对马蔺的毒害.随Zn浓度的增加,Zn对Cd毒害的缓解作用逐渐降低,当溶液中Zn达到一定浓度(100mg.L-1)时,马蔺毒害加重,其生物量、叶绿素含量均下降,MDA含量显著增加.在试验胁迫浓度范围内超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性始终呈增加趋势,表明马蔺在受到Cd胁迫及Cd-Zn共存的条件下SOD和POD起着重要的抗氧化保护作用.     

镉胁迫下杞柳对金属元素的吸收及其根系形态构型特征

采用水培方法,研究了杞柳(Salix integra)2个品种在0-90 μmol/L Cd处理下不同组织对Cd的吸收和积累规律,探讨了镉胁迫下杞柳根系形态学功能响应特征以及对矿质离子吸收的影响。结果发现,镉在杞柳2个品种不同组织的含量均表现为根>韧皮部>木质部>叶。2个品种地上部组织对镉的吸收和积累规律相似:在0-70 μmol/L Cd处理浓度范围内,随着溶液Cd浓度的增加,叶、木质部、韧皮部中镉的含量逐渐增加,到50 μmol/L时,镉在地上部组织的含量达到最高,当Cd处理浓度达90 μmol/L时,地上部各组织中Cd含量出现下降趋势。而2个品种根系对Cd的吸收则不同,"微山湖"品种在溶液Cd达70 μmol/L时,根系镉的积累量最大,在90 μmol/L时,根系Cd的积累量明显下降;"一枝笔"品种根系在0-90 μmol/L范围内,根系Cd的积累量均为增加趋势。通过分析2个品种根系形态学参数变化发现,Cd胁迫抑制了杞柳2个品种根的伸长,促进了"微山湖"品种根的径向生长,导致根系平均直径增加;进一步对叶片矿质营养状态分析发现, Ca、Mn的吸收受镉胁迫的影响较大,在高浓度镉胁迫下(50-70 μmol/L)"微山湖"和"一枝笔"对Ca和Mn的吸收明显下降;Cd胁迫对Fe在叶片的含量影响不明显;同时发现,在50 μmol/L Cd处理下,Cu²⁺在叶片的积累明显增加。由此可见,杞柳2个品种间对镉的吸收和积累差异主要体现在根系,地上部对镉毒害的响应差异不大。     

镉胁迫对白骨壤幼苗钾钠镁吸收与分配的影响

采用砂基栽培,研究重金属镉(Cd)不同胁迫浓度(0、0.5、5、25、50、100和150mg·L-1)和胁迫时间(45和90 d)对红树植物白骨壤幼苗钾钠镁吸收与分配的影响.结果表明:白骨壤各器官对Cd的吸收和累积均表现为随Cd胁迫浓度上升而增加,随胁迫时间增加而增加的趋势;进入植物体内的Cd主要富集在根部,其次是凋落子叶,在150 mg·L-1浓度下分别占累积总量的66.9％和16.3％,这对减少Cd对植物全株的危害具有积极意义.受Cd胁迫影响90 d后,根和茎中Na含量呈上升趋势,叶和子叶中呈下降趋势;根和子叶中K含量呈下降趋势,茎和叶中变化不明显;Cd胁迫90 d后各器官(根、茎、叶和子叶)中Mg含量均低于对照,且与Cd含量呈显著负相关.     

镉胁迫对旱柳细胞膜透性和抗氧化酶活性的影响

以‘Fuyang 3’旱柳为材料,通过水培方法研究了中、高剂量(5、25μmol.L-1)镉胁迫下旱柳器官的镉(Cd2 )积累、叶和根细胞膜渗透及抗氧化酶活性的变化。结果表明:Cd2 主要积累在旱柳的根部(最高达1 297.71μg.g-1),其次是枝条(最高为163.13μg.g-1)。中、高剂量Cd2 胁迫下,旱柳叶相对电导率、根K 渗透以及根和叶丙二醛(MDA)含量均未发生显著变化。中、高剂量Cd2 胁迫使旱柳根系的超氧歧化酶(SOD)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)和谷胱甘肽转移酶(GST)活性,以及叶片的SOD、愈创木酚过氧化酶(POD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPX)和GST活性均比对照显著增强;且高剂量胁迫旱柳根系的SOD和GST活性,及其叶片的POD、GPX和GST活性均显著高于相应中剂量胁迫。研究发现,旱柳在不同浓度镉胁迫条件下,其根是Cd2 主要积累器官,其叶和根细胞质膜能保持相对稳定性,其根和叶各抗氧化酶活性发生不同程度改变,从而使旱柳对Cd2 胁迫表现出一定的忍耐性。     

污染稻田水分管理对水稻吸收积累镉的影响及其作用机理

Cd污染稻田通过长期淹水灌溉能显著降低稻米中Cd含量。利用Cd污染水稻土的盆栽试验,结合水稻根表氧化铁膜特征的分析,研究了不同水分管理对水稻吸收积累镉的影响及其作用机理。结果表明,随着稻田淹水程度(时间和水量)的提高,水稻根表氧化铁膜所吸附的还原态Fe(Ⅱ)、Mn(Ⅱ)显著增加,潮泥田和黄泥田长期淹水灌溉处理的水稻根膜中的Fe(Ⅱ)分别比湿润灌溉处理增加了12.6倍(p<0.01)和8.5倍(p<0.01);不同水分管理的水稻根膜氧化铁(Fe(Ⅲ))含量的变化与根膜Fe(Ⅱ)表现极显著的相关性,但两者均与水稻根膜Cd呈极显著的负相关,其中,2种土壤长期淹水的水稻根膜Fe(Ⅲ)分别比湿润灌溉增加了1.5倍(p<0.01)和1.0倍(p<0.01),根膜吸附的Cd含量分别较湿润灌溉降低了77.9%(p<0.01)和50.3%(p<0.01);长期淹水处理导致水稻根系、茎叶、糙米中的Cd含量均极显著低于相应的湿润灌溉处理,2种土壤长期淹水的糙米平均Cd含量比间歇灌溉的下降了41.3%,比湿润灌溉的下降了70.7%(p<0.01);不同水分管理的水稻糙米Cd含量与根膜Cd含量呈极显著正相关,与根膜Fe(Ⅱ)和Fe(Ⅲ)呈极显著负相关。综合分析认为,Cd污染酸性稻田在长期淹水的还原条件下Fe2 等金属离子与Cd2 的竞争吸附作用以及S2-和Cd2 的共沉淀作用加强,因而使得土壤中Cd的生物有效性明显降低。     

外源水杨酸对镉胁迫下甜瓜幼苗生长、光合作用和活性氧代谢的缓解效应

以甜瓜耐镉品种‘哈密绿’和镉敏感品种‘秀绿’为试验材料,在人工气候箱内采用基质栽培法,研究了外源水杨酸(SA)处理对镉(Cd)胁迫下甜瓜幼苗生长、光合作用和活性氧代谢的缓解效应。结果显示:与对照(CK)比较,Cd处理显著抑制了甜瓜幼苗的生长和光合作用,降低了叶绿素含量,抗氧化酶活性、脯氨酸(Pro)含量、丙二醛(MDA)含量和超氧阴离子(O2ˉ·)产生速率增加;在Cd胁迫下,SA处理可以有效促进甜瓜幼苗的生长,增加了叶绿素含量、净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、气孔限制值(Ls)和水分利用效率(WUE),降低了胞间CO2浓度(Ci);提高了超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化酶酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX),增强植株抗氧化能力,使Pro和可溶性蛋白含量升高,MDA含量和O2ˉ·产生速率下降,能有效抑制镉胁迫引起的膜脂过氧化伤害;镉敏感品种‘秀绿’变化幅度大于耐镉品种‘哈密绿’。研究结果说明,SA有利于甜瓜幼苗在Cd胁迫下活性氧代谢的提高和对光能的捕获与转换,促进了甜瓜幼苗的生长,降低Cd胁迫对甜瓜幼苗的抑制作用,且对镉敏感品种‘秀绿’效果大于耐镉品种‘哈密绿’。     

Comparative study of four rice cultivars with different levels of cadmium tolerance

Cadmium (Cd) has been identified as a significant pollutant due to its high solubility in water and soil and high toxicity to plants and animals. Rice, as one of the most important food crops, is grown in soils with variable levels of Cd and therefore, is important to discriminate the Cd tolerance of different rice cultivars to determine their suitability for cultivation in Cd-contaminated soils. This study investigates the primary mechanisms employed by four rice cultivars in attaining Cd tolerance. HA63 cultivar reduces Cd uptake by increasing Fe absorption through activation of phytosiderophores. T3028 cultivar accumulates the highest level of Cd in leaves while also activating its reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system, including antioxidant enzymes and phytochelatins. In some rice cultivars (such as HA63), a cyanide-resistant respiration mechanism, important in Cd detoxification, was also promoted under the Cd stress. In conclusion, different rice cultivars may adopt different biochemical strategies and respond with different efficiency to Cd stress.     

水稻不同品种对Cd吸收累积的差异和机理研究

采用盆栽和水培试验研究了华南地区水稻的主要品种对Ｃｄ吸收累积的差异和引起差异的原因。盆栽试验结果表明,供试的２０多个品种生长在同一污染土壤上,汕优６３,汕优６４等杂交稻,产量较高,但糙米Ｃｄ含量也较高,野奥丝苗,增城丝苗,黑糯等优质稻糙米重金属含量较低;常规稻则变幅较大,作物品种间差异可达１倍以上,在同一Ｃｄ浓度和营养液配方条件下的水培试验显示,与汕优６３相比,糙米Ｃｄ含量较低的野奥丝苗其单位产量     

Bioavailability of Cd in a soil–rice system in China: soil type versus genotype effects

Human exposure to toxic heavy metals via dietary intake is of increasing concern. In this regard, the bioavailability of heavy metals in the soil–crop system is considered to be a key factor controlling plant uptake and, therefore, public health risk through food chain transfer [J. Environ. Sci. Health B 34(4) (1999) 681]. In 2002, a pot experiment was conducted to elucidate the relative significance of soil types and rice genotype on the bioavailability, uptake and partitioning of Cd by two rice cultivars with distinct affinity for Cd. The results indicated that the total uptake of Cd and accumulation in grain was dependent on both soil type and genotype effects. Cd spiking enhanced high Cd uptake and partitioning in grain. Inherent differences in soil type effecting Cd bioavailability were less significant under the Cd spiking regime as compared to non-Cd spiking. In the case of Soil-P, with low Cd bioavailability as indicated by the comparatively lower MgCl₂ extractableCd, differences in metal affinity between genotypes dominated uptake. Conversely, inherent differences in soil type affecting Cd bioavailability dominated uptake in the low metal affinity cultivar treatments. Under the experimental conditions evaluated, the positive interaction between soil type and genotype results in elevated levels of Cd in rice grain with the Cd values exceeding the Chinese food guideline limit of 0.2 mg kg^–1. The results indicated that Cd bioavailability and plant uptake is dependent on soil chemical and physical properties affecting Cd mobility, rice genotype and soil pollution status. The results further suggested that caution should be paid to rice production with the new high metal affinity genotypes on soils with inherent Cd bioavailability as with acidic Red Soils of Jiangxi Provinces, China.     

Cadmium Accumulation Retard Activity of Functional Components of Photo Assimilation And Growth of Rice Cultivars Amended with Vermicompost

Cadmium (Cd) uptake mediated alterations in functional components of photo assimilation during conversion of cow dung and poultry cast to vermicompost were studied in two Indian rice cultivars; MO 16 and MTU 7029. It was found that higher amount of Cd accumulate in plants grown in soil amended with vermicompost which in turn damaged functional components in photo assimilation. Enhancement of root growth was recognized as reason for Cd accumulation. Metabolic alterations noticed among plants were not taken place during application of raw materials used for vermicomposting such as cow dung and poultry cast amendment. Rice varieties accumulated Cd differentially where MTU 7029 accumulated more Cd compare to MO 16. It was also noticed that existence of negative correlation between zinc status of the plant and Cd accumulation.     

Low-molecular-weight organic acids in rhizosphere soils of durum wheat and their effect on cadmium bioaccumulation

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation has been found to vary between cultivars of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum), and it is hypothesized that low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) produced at the soil-root interface (rhizosphere) may play an important role in the availability and uptake of Cd by these plants. The objective of this study, therefore, was to (1) investigate the nature and quantity of LMWOAs present in the rhizosphere of durum wheat cultivars Arcola (low Cd accumulator) and Kyle (high Cd accumulator) grown in three different soils: Yorkton, Sutherland and Waitville, and (2) determine the relationship between Cd accumulation in these plants and LMWOAs present in the rhizosphere. Plants were grown for two weeks in pot-cultures under growth chamber conditions. Oxalic, fumaric, succinic, L-malic, tartaric, citric, acetic, propionic and butyric acids were found and quantified in the water extracts of rhizosphere soil, with acetic and succinic acids being predominant. No water extractable LMWOAs were identified in the bulk soil. Total amount of LMWOAs in the rhizosphere soil of the high Cd accumulator (Kyle) was significantly higher than that for the low Cd accumulator (Arcola) in all three soils. Furthermore, large differences in amounts of LMWOAs were found in the rhizosphere soil for the same cultivars grown in different soils and followed the pattern: Sutherland > Waitville > Yorkton. Extractable soil Cd (M NH4Cl) and Cd accumulation in the plants also followed the same soil sequence as LMWOA production. Cadmium accumulation by the high and low Cd accumulating cultivars was proportional to the levels of LMWOAs found in the rhizosphere soil of each cultivar. These results suggest that the differing levels of LMWOAs present in the rhizosphere soil played an important role in the solubilization of particulate-bound Cd into soil solution and its subsequent phytoaccumulation by the high and low Cd accumulating cultivars.     

番茄吸收和积累Cd能力的品种间差异

旨在筛选和利用在受污染土壤中可食部位污染物积累水平在食品卫生标准允许范围内的农作物品种(pollution-safecultivar,简称为PSC),以降低水土环境污染物经食物链危害人类健康的风险。研究对象为番茄,探讨了在一定Cd污染土壤中其果实Cd含量低于国际食品法典委员会(CAC)Cd最高限值的品种(Cd-PSC)存在的可能性。通过盆栽试验研究了36个番茄品种(包括普通番茄和樱桃番茄两个变种)不同器官在受不同程度镉污染的土壤中吸收和积累Cd能力的差异。结果表明:(1)在土壤Cd重度胁迫(13.3mg.kg-1)和轻度Cd胁迫(1.1mg.kg-1)下,番茄所有器官Cd含量的变异在统计学上均存在极显著意义(p<0.01),其中果实Cd含量的范围分别为0.08~0.33mg.kg-1和0.00~0.09mg.kg-1,变异系数分别达到28.5%和77.9%;(2)在重度胁迫下,所有供试品种的果实Cd含量均超出CAC标准,而轻度胁迫下的Cd含量超标率达到19.4%,说明番茄是易受Cd污染的农作物种类,其中樱桃番茄的受污染风险特别高,在轻度胁迫下6个供试品种中有5个超标,而30个普通番茄品种仅1个超标。因此,仅在轻度胁迫条件下,存在着番茄的Cd-PSC,其中有5个普通番茄品种的果实中未检出Cd,属于比较安全的PSC,包括品种No.121、6、24、35和No.36,可以推荐在土壤Cd污染程度略超国家三级标准或具有潜在受污染风险的区域应用;(3)尽管大多数情况下各营养器官的Cd含量间均呈显著的正相关,但营养器官与果实Cd含量间均无明显的相关性,推测Cd在番茄营养器官间和营养器官与果实间的转运途径是不一样的。组织中Cd含量的显著相关性说明该特性可以作为农作物品种的种性特征;(4)与轻度胁迫相比,重度胁迫下的所有供试品种平均果实生物量上升了7.5%,一半以上的品种表现出较强的耐Cd能力,这一特性可能导致因不易察觉土壤的Cd污染状况而增加番茄产品受Cd污染风险。     

The difference of cadmium accumulation between the indica and japonica subspecies and the mechanism of it

Many studies have shown genotypic differences in Cadmium (Cd) accumulation among rice cultivars, and concentrations in shoots and grains are generally higher in indica rice cultivars than in japonica rice cultivars, but the mechanism remains unknown. The main objective of this study was to investigate differences in heavy metal accumulation between rice subspecies through the analysis of 46 indica cultivars and 30 japonica cultivars. At the seedling stage, the mean Cd concentrations in the shoots of indica subspecies were significantly higher than those in japonica subspecies (1.22-fold), but this pattern was not observed in the roots. At the filling stage, the mean Cd concentrations in the shoots and spikes of indica subspecies were 1.66- and 2.14-fold higher than the respective concentrations in japonica subspecies. At the harvest stage, the mean Cd concentrations in the shoots and brown rice of indica subspecies were 1.61- and 2.27-fold higher than the respective concentrations in japonica subspecies. These results indicate that root-to-shoot and shoot-to-grain translocation, rather than Cd absorption in the roots, may be the key processes that determine the differences in Cd accumulation among rice subspecies. Gene expression analysis revealed that overall, the expression levels of the Cd transporter gene OsNramp1 notably increased (22.46-fold), but the expression levels of OsHMA2, OsHMA3 and OsNRAMP5 were not significantly changed at the seedling stage in the 76 cultivars exposed to Cd; the expression levels of OsNramp1 were positively correlated with the Cd concentrations in spikes at the filling stage. In addition, a significant difference was observed in the expression levels of OsNramp1 between the indica and japonica subspecies, which may explain the higher Cd concentrations in roots but lower Cd concentrations in spikes and brown rice for the japonica subspecies. Together, these results demonstrate that OsNramp1 may be the most important gene among the four selected genes in the promotion of Cd uptake by roots and transfer of Cd into spikes and eventually into brown rice.     

Physiological, genetic, and molecular characterization of a high-Cd-accumulating rice cultivar, Jarjan

Cadmium (Cd) in rice is a major source of Cd intake for people on a staple rice diet. The mechanisms underlying Cd accumulation in rice plant are still poorly understood. Here, we characterized the physiology and genetics of Cd transport in a high-Cd-accumulating cultivar (Jarjan) of rice (Oryza sativa). Jarjan showed 5- to 34-fold higher Cd accumulation in the shoots and grains than the cultivar Nipponbare, when it was grown in either a non-Cd-contaminated or a Cd-contaminated soil. A short-term uptake experiment showed no significant difference in Cd uptake by the roots between the two cultivars. However, Jarjan translocated 49% of the total Cd taken up to the shoots, whereas Nipponbare retained most of the Cd in the roots. In both concentration- and time-dependent experiments, Jarjan showed a superior capacity for root-to-shoot translocation of Cd. These results indicate that the high-Cd-accumulation phenotype in Jarjan results from efficient translocation of Cd from roots to shoots. Genetic analysis using an F(2) population derived from Jarjan and Nipponbare revealed that plants showing high- and low-Cd-accumulation phenotypes segregated in a 1:3 ratio, indicating that high accumulation in Jarjan is controlled by a single recessive gene. Furthermore, we isolated OsHMA3, a gene encoding a tonoplast-localized Cd transporter from Jarjan. The OsHMA3 protein was localized in all roots cells, but the sequence has a mutation leading to loss of function. Therefore, failure to sequester Cd into the root vacuoles by OsHMA3 is probably responsible for high Cd accumulation in Jarjan.     

Role of the iron transporter OsNRAMP1 in cadmium uptake and accumulation in rice

The heavy metal cadmium (Cd) is toxic to humans, and its accumulation in rice grains is a major agricultural problem. Rice has seven putative metal transporter NRAMP genes, but microarray analysis showed that only OsNRAMP1 is highly up-regulated by iron (Fe) deficiency. OsNRAMP1 localized to the plasma membrane and transported Cd as well as Fe. OsNRAMP1 expression was observed mainly in roots and was higher in the roots of a high-Cd-accumulating cultivar (Habataki) than in those of a low-Cd-accumulating cultivar (Sasanishiki). The amino acid sequence of OsNRAMP1 in the Sasanishiki and Habataki cultivars was found to be 100% identical. These results suggest that OsNRAMP1 participates in cellular Cd uptake and that the differences observed in Cd accumulation among cultivars are because of differences in OsNRAMP1 expression levels in roots.