Intercropping different varieties of radish can increase cadmium accumulation in radish

• Published in: Environmental toxicology and chemistry 2014-09, Vol.33 (9), p.1950-1955
• Main Authors: Lin, Lijin, Liu, Qihua, Shi, Jun, Sun, Jinlong, Liao, Ming'an, Mei, Luoyin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural practices; Agricultural production; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Cadmium; Cadmium - analysis; Cadmium - metabolism; Crop yield; Crops; Disease resistance; Exchange; field experimentation; Field tests; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic diversity; genetic variation; Genetics; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; Germplasm; Heavy metals; Intercropping; Monoculture; Non agrochemicals pollutants; nutrients; phosphorus; Phosphorus - analysis; Phosphorus - metabolism; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; potassium; Radish; Radishes; Raphanus - chemistry; Raphanus - classification; Raphanus - genetics; Raphanus - metabolism; soil; Soil (material); Soil - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Uptakes; Yield
• ISSN: 0730-7268; 1552-8618
• DOI: 10.1002/etc.2626

Genetic diversity has supplied effective ways to improve crop yields and disease resistance. Therefore, crop uptake of heavy metals may be reduced by collecting germplasm resources. In the present study, cadmium accumulation and nutrients in radish were investigated by intercropping 3 genotypes (red, green, and white radish) in different combinations. Both pot and field experiments showed that cadmium content in radish was increased by intercropping 2 or 3 genotypes, except when white radish was intercropped with green radish. The biomass of red radish was improved by a mixture of all 3 genotypes, green radish biomass was improved by intercropping with the other 2 varieties, and white radish biomass was improved by intercropping with red radish in both pot and field experiments. The pot experiment indicated that the soil exchangeable cadmium concentration of red radish grown with green radish was lower than that of monoculture, whereas red radish intercropped with white radish was between the respective monocultures; the soil exchangeable cadmium concentrations of green radish grown with white radish and with all 3 genotypes grown together were greater than those of the monocultures. Some intercropping modes also improved potassium and phosphorus contents in the edible parts of radish in the pot experiment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014; 33:1950–1955. © 2014 SETAC