Cadmium concentration in durum wheat grain (Triticum turgidum) as influenced by nitrogen rate, seeding date and soil type.

BACKGROUND Cadmium (Cd) is a trace element that has been associated with various human health problems. Cd enters plants, either by direct absorption through leaves or by uptake from soils, allowing Cd into the food chain. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer management is important in optimizing crop yield and protein content of durum wheat, but may influence Cd availability and hence Cd concentration in crops, with the effects being strongly influenced by environmental conditions and crop cultivar. RESULTS In field studies, Cd and protein concentration in durum wheat grain differed between cultivars and were strongly affected by N application, with only minor effects of N occurring on concentration and uptake of P and Zn. Protein content increased significantly with N application in five of six site-years, with the response being generally independent of cultivar and seeding data. Cd concentration also increased with N application in five of six seeding dates, with the response being greater in AC Melita than Arcola in three of the six site-years. There were large differences in Cd concentration from year to year and with seeding date, indicating a strong environmental influence. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that different cultivars accumulate different levels of Cd in the grain and that seeding date and nitrogen fertilizer management can influence grain Cd concentration, with the magnitude of effects varying with environmental factors. In the future we may be able to manipulate management practices to optimize protein concentration and minimize Cd concentration in durum wheat, which could help to address the health and safety concerns of consumers.

[1]  P. G. Reeves,et al.  Bioavailability as an issue in risk assessment and management of food cadmium: a review. , 2008, The Science of the total environment.

[2]  S. Sheppard,et al.  Fertilizer Impacts on Cadmium Availability in Agricultural Soils and Crops , 2008 .

[3]  L. Hawf,et al.  Uptake and translocation of zinc by intact plants , 1967, Plant and Soil.

[4]  B. Hale,et al.  Differential accumulation of Cd in durum wheat cultivars: uptake and retranslocation as sources of variation. , 2004, Journal of experimental botany.

[5]  G. Taylor,et al.  Cadmium uptake and translocation in seedlings of near isogenic lines of durum wheat that differ in grain cadmium accumulation , 2004, BMC Plant Biology.

[6]  M. L. Beusichem,et al.  Evaluation of structural and physiological plant characteristics in relation to the distribution of cadmium in maize inbred lines , 1993, Plant and Soil.

[7]  J. Menaut,et al.  Effects of tree clumps on soil characteristics in a humid savanna of West Africa (Lamto, Côte d'Ivoire) , 1993, Plant and Soil.

[8]  F. Özkutlu,et al.  Effect of Cadmium on Growth and Concentrations of Cadmium, Ascorbic Acid and Sulphydryl Groups in Durum Wheat Cultivars , 2003 .

[9]  D. Moot,et al.  Effect of nitrogen fertiliser applications on cadmium concentrations in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum) grain , 2002 .

[10]  J. Clarke,et al.  Concentration of cadmium and other elements in the grain of near-isogenic durum lines , 2002 .

[11]  G. Taylor,et al.  Remobilization of cadmium in maturing shoots of near isogenic lines of durum wheat that differ in grain cadmium accumulation. , 2001, Journal of experimental botany.

[12]  M. Shakiba,et al.  SOWING DATE AND NITROGEN INPUT INFLUENCE NITROGEN-USE EFFICIENCY IN SPRING BREAD AND DURUM WHEAT GENOTYPES , 2001 .

[13]  C. Grant,et al.  Effect of nitrogen application on concentration of cadmium and nutrient ions in soil solution and in durum wheat , 2000 .

[14]  M. Mclaughlin,et al.  Management Factors which Influence Cadmium Concentrations in Crops , 1999 .

[15]  R. Naidu,et al.  Long-Term Changes in Cadmium Bioavailability in Soil , 1998 .

[16]  Hart,et al.  Characterization of cadmium binding, uptake, and translocation in intact seedlings of bread and durum wheat cultivars , 1998, Plant physiology.

[17]  C. Grant,et al.  Nitrogen, phosphorus and zinc management effects on grain yield and cadmium concentration in two cultivars of durum wheat , 1998 .

[18]  V. Bailey,et al.  A practical method for assessing cadmium levels in soil using the DTPA extraction technique with graphite furnace analysis , 1995 .

[19]  C. Grant,et al.  Effect of zinc on cadmium concentration in the tissue of durum wheat , 1994 .

[20]  T. H. Christensen,et al.  Applications of fertilizer cations affect cadmium and zinc concentrations in soil solutions and uptake by plants , 1994 .

[21]  M. R. Carter,et al.  Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis , 1993 .

[22]  C. Grant,et al.  Interactions of zinc with banded and broadcast phosphorus fertilizer on the concentration and uptake of P, Zn, Ca and Mg in plant tissue of oilseed flax , 1993 .

[23]  B. J. Alloway,et al.  Heavy metals in soils , 1990 .

[24]  J. Eriksson.  Factors influencing adsorption and plant uptake of cadmium from agricultural soils , 1990 .

[25]  D. Cudney,et al.  Nitrate Fertilizer Timing, Irrigation, Protein, and Yellow Berry in Durum Wheat 1 , 1979 .

[26]  C. Williams,et al.  THE ACCUMULATION IN SOIL OF CADMIUM RESIDUES FROM PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE CADMIUM CONTENT OF PLANTS , 1976 .

[27]  A. Page,et al.  Influence of Ionic Strength and Inorganic Complex Formation on the Sorption of Trace Amounts of Cd by Montmorillonite , 1976 .

[28]  R. E. Ramig,et al.  Yield-Protein Relationships in Wheat Grain, as Affected by Nitrogen and Water1 , 1969 .