Due to fresh water scarcity, farmers are using polluted water for irrigation. This research was conducted to study the bioaccumulation of Pb in wheat (Cv. Shafaq-2006). The experiment was comprised of seven treatments of lead i.e. 0-1,000 mg Pb/kg. The results revealed that lead severely reduces germination (− 30%), seedling fresh weight (− 74%), seedling dry weight (− 77%), vigor index (− 89%), tolerance index (− 84%), plant height (− 33%), number of leaves (− 41%), root fresh weight (− 50%), shoot fresh weight (− 62%), root dry weight (− 63%), shoot dry weight (− 71%), and root length (− 45%). The physiological parameters also respond negatively like stomatal conductance (− 82%), transpiration rate (− 72%) and photosynthetic rate (− 74%). Similarly, biochemical parameters also showed negative impacts, like carotenoids (− 41), total chlorophyll (− 43), chlorophyll a (− 42) and chlorophyll b (− 53). Yield parameters like the number of seed/plant, seed weight/plant, 1,000 seed weight and harvest index were reduced by 90%, 88%, 44% and 61%, respectively in T 6. In addition, protein contents (− 81%), phosphorous (− 60%) and potassium (− 55%) were highly effected in the highest lead concentration (T 6). Lead accumulation was extremely higher in seeds (119%) as compared to control plants. Lead bio-accumulation above threshold concentrations in crop parts is a serious human health concern. Fresh water scarcity is a major issue for agriculture in developing countries including Pakistan. To meet water requirements, farmers are now using industrial wastewater 1. These industrial wastewaters have the high amount of toxic heavy metals (HM) like Pb, Ni, Cd, Zn, Fe, Mn, etc. Heavy metals tend to bio-accumulate in crops and are creating serious health threats to human and ecosystem 2. Other sources of metal entry in the ecosystem include mining activities, industrial effluents, agronomic practices and use of sludge as manure 3-5. Worldwide environmental and human health problems are increasing sharply due to heavy metal contamination. Cultivation of crops near these contaminated sites result heavy metal bio-accumulation in crops and poor growth. These accumulated metals pose high risk to humans as well as to livestock health, in case of ingestion 6. Zajac et al., investigated 195 TSIP (Toxic Site Identification Program) sites in 33 LMICs (low-and middleincome countries) and reported the 820,000 womoen of childbearing age are at the risk for lead exposure 7. Lead is a major pollutant in the ecosystem, being persistent/high retention time (150-1,500 years) and shows negative impacts on human 8,9. Lead can accumulate in plants from various routes including water, air and soil. Prominent harmful effects of Pb include interference with nutrient uptake, germination reduction, reduced photosynthesis, delay in plant growth, disturbed respiration, metabolism alteration, changes in enzymatic activities, changes in root morphology and inhibition of mitosis (in tip) 10-13 , enlarged vacuoles, deformed nucleolus, increased plasmolysis and ...
