Selection and breeding of plant cultivars to minimize cadmium accumulation

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2008-02, Vol.390 (2), p.301-310
• Main Authors: Grant, C.A., Clarke, J.M., Duguid, S., Chaney, R.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Breeding; cadmium; Cadmium - metabolism; Cadmium Poisoning - metabolism; Cadmium Poisoning - prevention & control; Crops, Agricultural - genetics; Crops, Agricultural - metabolism; cultivars; Durum wheat; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi; Flax; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genes; Genetic Variation; Glycine max; Glycine max - genetics; Glycine max - metabolism; Helianthus; Helianthus - genetics; Helianthus - metabolism; Helianthus annuus; hybrids; Linseed; literature reviews; Oryza - genetics; Oryza - metabolism; Oryza sativa; Peanut; Plant breeding; pollutants; Rice; selection criteria; Selection, Genetic; Soybean; soybeans; Sunflower; traits; Triticum - genetics; Triticum - metabolism; Triticum aestivum; Triticum turgidum; Triticum turgidum subsp. durum
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.10.038

Natural variation occurs in the uptake and distribution of essential and nonessential trace elements among crop species and among cultivars within species. Such variation can be responsible for trace element deficiencies and toxicities, which in turn can affect the quality of food. Plant breeding can be an important tool to both increase the concentration of desirable trace elements and reduce that of potentially harmful trace elements such as cadmium (Cd). Selection programs for a low-Cd content of various crops, including durum wheat, sunflower, rice and soybean have been established and low-Cd durum wheat cultivars and sunflower hybrids have been developed. In durum wheat ( Triticum turgidum L. var durum), low-Cd concentration is controlled by a single dominant gene. The trait is highly heritable, and incorporation of the low-Cd allele can help to reduce the average grain Cd to levels below proposed international limits. The allele for low-Cd concentration does not appear to affect major economic traits and should not cause problems when incorporated into durum cultivars. The cost of Cd selection in a breeding program is initially large both in terms of Cd determination and reduced progress towards development of other economic traits, but declines as more breeding lines in the program carry the low-Cd trait and are utilized in new crosses. Production of low-Cd crop cultivars can be used as a tool to reduce the risk of movement of Cd into the human diet.