Selenium reduces cadmium accumulation and alleviates cadmium-induced quality degradation in tobacco

Abstract

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted using two contrasting tobacco cultivars Guiyan1 (Cd-sensitive) and Yunyan2 (Cd-tolerant) to evaluate the effect of external selenium (Se) on Cd-induced degradation of tobacco quality. Results showed that 3 mg/kg Cd reduced K, Mg, Mn, and Zn contents, but increased Cd, P, Ca, Fe contents in both cultivars. Addition of Se in Cd solution (Cd + Se) dramatically alleviated Cd-deteriorate effects on tobacco quality, markedly reduced Cd concentration, but increased Se and K contents in tobacco leaves compared with Cd alone treatment. Exogenous Se counteracted Cd-induced alterations in carbohydrate, e.g. it significantly depressed Cd-induced increase in total/reducing sugar, and sucrose contents, but elevated the reduced starch content. Furthermore, Se significantly depressed the elevated ratios in reducing sugar/total nitrogen, total sugar/total protein and reducing sugar/nicotine, but elevated total nitrogen/nicotine, which returned near to their control levels.

Effects of Soil Properties on Pb, Cd, and Cu Contents in Tobacco Leaves of Longyan, China, and Their Prediction Models

“…Te average growth of cash crops is afected and poses a risk to human and animal health if consumed. Terefore, the accumulation of heavy metals in soil and cash crops has attracted considerable attention [7][8][9].…”