Cadmium remobilization from shoot to grain is related to pH of vascular bundle in rice

Abstract

The remobilization of cadmium (Cd) from shoots to grain is the key process to determine the Cd accumulation in grain. The apoplastic pH of plants is an important factor and signal in influencing on plant responding to environmental variation and inorganic elements uptake. It is proposed that pH of rice plants responds and influences on Cd remobilization from shoots to grain when rice is exposed to Cd stress. The results of hydroponic experiment showed that: pH of the rice leaf vascular bundles among 3 cultivars was almost increased, pH value of 1 cultivar was slightly increasing when rice plants were treated with Cd. The decrease degree of H⁺ concentration in leaf vascular bundles was different among cultivars. The cultivar with higher decreasing in H⁺ concentration, showed higher Cd transfer efficiency from shoots to grain. The H⁺ concentration of leaf vascular bundles under normal condition was negatively correlated to cadmium accumulation in leaf. Moreover, pH change was related to Cd accumulation in shots and remobilization from shoots to grain. Uncovering the role of pH response is a key component for the understanding Cd uptake and remobilization mechanism for rice production.

Keywords: Cadmium; Remobilization; Rice vascular bundles; pH.