Zn Deficiency-Cd Contaminated Soils: The Effect of Zn Fertilization on the Uptake of Cd and Some Nutrient Elements by Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plants

Bedriye Bilir; Hava Şeyma İnci

doi:10.29133/yyutbd.1860022

Zn Deficiency-Cd Contaminated Soils: The Effect of Zn Fertilization on the Uptake of Cd and Some Nutrient Elements by Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plants

Abstract

In recent years, the use of micronutrients such as Zn has become a practical approach to mitigate the harmful effects of metals. This research aimed to examine the effect of Zn fertilization on the concentrations of Cd and some nutrients in wheat in Cd-contaminated soil with excessive lime and Zn deficiency. Five different Zn doses Zn₀:0, Zn₁:3, Zn₂:6, Zn₃:9, and Zn₄:12 mg kg-1 were applied in three replicates to soils contaminated with 20 mg kg-1 Cd according to a completely randomized design. The study found that while Zn₂ application reduced Cd concentrations, the other Zn applications increased Zn and Fe concentrations in the plants. Zinc showed a positive relationship with Mg in all applications, while Zn showed a positive relationship with K and Ca in all applications except for the Zn4. Specifically, in the Zn2, Zn, Cu, K, and Ca were taken up at the highest levels, while Cd, Ni, and P were taken up at the lowest levels. As a result of this study, it was observed that Zn-fertilization in a Zn-deficient, Cd-contaminated soil was insufficient to alleviate Cd uptake in wheat plants, and it can be concluded that the relationship between Zn and Cd and other elements is controversial and may vary depending on the dose, soil properties, the part of the plant, and the growth period. In future studies, applying different Cd and Zn concentrations and measuring them in different plant organs at different stages will contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between Zn and Cd.

Keywords

References

Abacı Bayar, A. A., & Demir, Ö. F. (2025). Relationship Between Chemical Properties of Soils Cultivated with Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) and Base Cation Saturation Ratios (BCSR). Yuzuncu Yıl University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 35(3), 463-474. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1642934
Abbas, M. S., Akmal, M., Ullah, S., Hassan, M. U., & Farooq, S. (2017). Effectiveness of zinc and gypsum application against cadmium toxicity and accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 48(14), 1659–1668. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2017.1373798
Allison, L. E., & Moodie, C. D. (1965). Carbonate. In C. A. Black (Ed.), Methods of soil analysis: Chemical and microbiological properties agronomy (pp. 1379–1398). American Society of Agronomy.
Alpaslan, M., Güneş, A., & İnal, A. (1998). Deneme tekniği (Yayın No: 1501). Ankara Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Yayınları.
Boysan Canal, S., Bozkurt, M., & Yılmaz, H. (2022). The effect of humic acid on plant growth, phytoremediation and oxidative stress in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) grown under heavy metal stress. Yuzuncu Yil University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 32(2), 237-248. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.997850
Cakmak, I., & Kutman, U. B. (2018). Agronomic biofortification of cereals with zinc: A review. European Journal of Soil Science, 69(1), 172–180. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12437
Chaney, R. L., Ryan, J. A., Li, Y. M., & Angle, J. S. (2000). Transfer of cadmium through plants to the food chain. In Environmental cadmium in the food chain: Sources, pathways, and risks (pp. 76–82). Belgian Academy of Sciences.
Cherif, J., Mediouni, C., Ammar, W. B., & Jemal, F. (2011). Interactions of zinc and cadmium toxicity in their effects on growth and in antioxidative systems in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum). Journal of Environmental Sciences, 23(5), 837–844. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(10)60415-9

Clemens, S. (2019). Safer food through plant science: Reducing toxic element accumulation in crops. Journal of Experimental Botany, 70, 5537–5557.
Cojocaru, P., Gusiatin, Z. M., & Cretescu, I. (2016). Phytoextraction of Cd and Zn as single or mixed pollutants from soil by rape (Brassica napus). Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(11), 10693–10701. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6176-5
Dellavalle, N. B. (1992). Determination of specific conductance in supernatant 1:2.5 soil:water solution. In Handbook on reference methods for soil analysis (pp. 44–50). Soil and Plant Analysis Council.
Dias, M. A. N., & Cicero, S. M. (2016). Effect of copper carbonate and zinc oxide applied to seeds on copper and zinc uptake by maize seedlings. Bragantia, 75(3), 286–291. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4499.533
Fahad, S., Hussain, S., Khan, F., Wu, C., Saud, S., Hassan, S., ... & Huang, J. (2015). Effects of tire rubber ash and zinc sulfate on crop productivity and cadmium accumulation in five rice cultivars under field conditions. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22(16), 12424–12434. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4518-3
Farooq, M., Ullah, A., Usman, M., & Siddique, K. H. (2020). Application of zinc and biochar help to mitigate cadmium stress in bread wheat raised from seeds with high intrinsic zinc. Chemosphere, 260, 127652. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127652
Gee, G. W., & Bauder, J. W. (1986). Particle size analysis. In A. Klute (Ed.), Methods of soil analysis. Part 1: Physical and mineralogical methods (pp. 383–411). American Society of Agronomy.
Ghasal, P. C., Shivay, Y. S., Pooniya, V., Choudhary, M., & Verma, R. K. (2017). Zinc fertilization effect on macro and micro-nutrients concentrations and uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties. Indian Journal of Agronomy, 62(4), 470–475. https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v62i4.5553
Green, C. E., Chaney, R. L., & Bouwkamp, J. (2017). Increased zinc supply does not inhibit cadmium accumulation by rice (Oryza sativa L.). Journal of Plant Nutrition, 40(6), 869–877. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2016.1262407
Güçdemir, İ. H. (2006). Türkiye gübre ve gübreleme rehberi (Yayın No: 231). T.C. Tarım ve Köyişleri Bakanlığı, TAGEM.
Hart, J. J., Welch, R. M., Norvell, W. A., & Kochian, L. V. (2002). Transport interactions between cadmium and zinc in roots of bread and durum wheat seedlings. Physiologia Plantarum, 116(1), 73–78. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-3054.2002.1160109.x
Hassan, M. U., Nawaz, M., Mahmood, A., Shah, A. A., Shah, A. N., Muhammad, F., ... & Qari, S. H. (2022). The role of zinc to mitigate heavy metals toxicity in crops. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, 990223. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.990223
Hızalan, E., & Ünal, H. (1966). Topraklarda önemli kimyasal analizler (Yayın No: 278). Atatürk Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Yayınları.
Huang, D., Gong, X., Liu, Y., Zeng, G., Lai, C., Bashir, H., ... & Wan, J. (2017). Effects of calcium at toxic concentrations of cadmium in plants. Planta, 245(5), 863–873. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-017-2664-1
Huang, G., Ding, C., Zhou, Z., Zhang, T., & Wang, X. (2019). A tillering application of zinc fertilizer based on basal stabilization reduces Cd accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 167, 338–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.10.044
Hussain, T., Murtaza, G., Ghafoor, A., & Cheema, M. A. (2016). The Cd:Zn ratio in a soil affects Cd toxicity in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 53(2), 419–424. https://doi.org/10.21162/PAKJAS/16.5216
Ibourki, M., Ait Bouzid, H., Bijla, L., Sakar, E. H., Asdadi, A., Laknifli, A., ... & Gharby, S. (2022). Mineral profiling of twenty wild and cultivated aromatic and medicinal plants growing in Morocco. Biological Trace Element Research, 200(11), 4880–4889. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-03062-w
Jing, H., Xue, X., Zhang, X., Xu, X., Tang, Y., Wang, H., ... & Han, Y. (2025). Metabolomics and microbiome analysis elucidate the detoxification mechanisms of Hemarthria compressa, a low cadmium accumulating plant, in response to cadmium stress. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 487, 137226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137226
JMP. (2018). Statistical discovery from SAS [Computer software]. SAS Institute Inc.
Jones, J. B. (2001). Laboratory guide for conducting soil tests and plant analysis. CRC Press.
Köleli, N., Eker, S., & Cakmak, I. (2004). Effect of zinc fertilization on cadmium toxicity in durum and bread wheat grown in zinc-deficient soil. Environmental Pollution, 131(3), 453–459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2004.02.012
Kuo, S. (1996). Phosphorus. In D. L. Sparks (Ed.), Methods of soil analysis: Part 3 chemical methods (pp. 869–921). Soil Science Society of America. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser5.3
Lindsay, W. L., & Norvell, W. A. (1978). Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese and copper. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 42(3), 421–428. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1978.03615995004200030009x
Liščáková, P., Nawaz, A., & Molnárová, M. (2022). Reciprocal effects of copper and zinc in plants. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 19(9), 9297–9312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03854-6
Lu, T., Zhu, Y., Qi, J., Min, T., & Qiu, G. (2025). Synergistic effects of zinc and iron to reduce cadmium uptake in wheat: Insights into soil immobilization and physiological regulatory mechanisms. Journal of Environmental Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/
McLaughlin, M. J., Smolders, E., Zhao, F. J., Grant, C., & Montalvo, D. (2021). Managing cadmium in agricultural systems. Advances in Agronomy, 166, 1–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.agron.2020.10.004
Murtaza, G., Javed, W., Hussain, A., Qadir, M., & Aslam, M. (2017). Soil-applied zinc and copper suppress cadmium uptake and improve the performance of cereals and legumes. International Journal of Phytoremediation, 19(2), 199–206. https://doi.org/10.1080/15226514.2016.1207605
Nan, Z., Li, J., Zhang, J., & Cheng, G. (2002). Cadmium and zinc interactions and their transfer in soil-crop system under actual field conditions. Science of the Total Environment, 285(1-3), 187–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(01)00919-6
Nath, S., Dey, S., Kundu, R., & Paul, S. (2024). Phosphate and zinc interaction in soil and plants: A reciprocal cross-talk. Plant Growth Regulation, 104(2), 591–615. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-024-01201-6
Nelson, D. W., & Sommers, L. E. (1996). Total carbon, organic carbon and organic matter. In D. L. Sparks, A. L. Page, P. A. Helmke, R. H. Loeppert, P. N. Soltanpour, M. A. Tabatabai, C. T. Johnston, & M. E. Sumner (Eds.), Methods of soil analysis part 3: Chemical methods (pp. 961–1010). Soil Science Society of America. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronmonogr9.2.2ed.c29
Nik-Khah, N., Mousavi Mirkalaei, A. A., & Sam Deliri, M. (2024). Maize (Zea mays L.) growth and yield production affected by the single and interactive effects of iron, zinc and manganese in the arid and semi-arid areas. Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology, 27(4), 429–438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12892-024-00240-9
Olsen, S. R., & Sommers, E. L. (1982). Phosphorus soluble in sodium bicarbonate. In A. L. Page, R. H. Miller, & D. R. Keeney (Eds.), Methods of soil analysis, part 2: Chemical and microbiological properties (pp. 404–430). American Society of Agronomy.
Palusińska, M., Barabasz, A., Kozak, K., Papierniak, A., Maślińska, K., & Antosiewicz, D. M. (2020). Zn/Cd status-dependent accumulation of Zn and Cd in root parts in tobacco is accompanied by specific expression of ZIP genes. BMC Plant Biology, 20(1), 37. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-020-2245-7
Poblaciones, M. J., Damon, P., & Rengel, Z. (2017). Foliar zinc biofortification effects in Lolium rigidum and Trifolium subterraneum grown in cadmium-contaminated soil. PLOS ONE, 12(9), Article e0185395. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185395
Pooniya, V., & Shivay, Y. S. (2013). Enrichment of basmati rice grain and straw with zinc and nitrogen through ferti-fortification and summer green manuring under Indo-Gangetic plains of India. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 36(1), 91–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2012.733052
Python Software Foundation. (2025). Python. Retrieved December 23, 2025, from https://www.python.org/
Rehman, M. Z. U., Rizwan, M., Ali, S., Naeem, A., Yousaf, B., Lui, G., ... & Azhar, M. (2018). A field study investigating the potential use of phosphorus combined with organic amendments on cadmium accumulation by wheat and subsequent rice. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 11(19), 594. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3961-0
Richards, L. A. (1954). Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils (Agriculture Handbook No. 60). U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Rizwan, M., Ali, S., Rehman, M. Z. U., & Maqbool, A. (2019). A critical review on the effects of zinc at toxic levels of cadmium in plants. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(7), 6279–6289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04174-6
Saifullah, Sarwar, N., Bibi, S., Ahmad, M., & Ok, Y. S. (2014). Effectiveness of zinc application to minimize cadmium toxicity and accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Environmental Earth Sciences, 71(4), 1663–1672. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2570-1
Saltalı, K., & Alhashemi, M. (2022). Determination of zinc sorption properties of gyttja, leonardite and compost. Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology, 10(sp1), 2751–2757.
Sarwar, N., Ishaq, W., Farid, G., Shaheen, M. R., Imran, M., Geng, M., & Hussain, S. (2015). Zinc–cadmium interactions: Impact on wheat physiology and mineral acquisition. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 122, 528–536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.09.011
Shahzad, M., Bibi, A., Khan, A., Shahzad, A., Xu, Z., Maruza, T. M., & Zhang, G. (2025). Utilization of Antagonistic Interactions Between Micronutrients and Cadmium (Cd) to Alleviate Cd Toxicity and Accumulation in Crops. Plants, 14(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050707
Soltangheisi, A., Rahman, Z. A., Ishak, C. F., Musa, H. M., & Zakikhani, H. (2014). Interaction effects of zinc and manganese on growth, uptake response and chlorophyll content of sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata). Asian Journal of Plant Sciences, 13(1), 26–33.
Song, J., Sun, Z., Saud, S., Fahad, S., & Nawaz, T. (2025). Exploring the deleterious effects of heavy metal cadmium on antioxidant defense and photosynthetic pathways in higher plants. Plant Stress, 15, 100716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2024.100716
Sozubek, B., Belliturk, K., & Saglam, M. T. (2015). Effect of zinc application on cadmium uptake of maize grown in alkaline soil. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 46(10), 1244–1248. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2015.1033534
Sönmez, O., & Kılıç, F. N. (2021). Heavy metal pollution in soil and removal methods. Turkish Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, 2(2), 493–507. https://doi.org/10.46592/turkager.2021.v02i02.020
Tan, L., Qu, M., Zhu, Y., Peng, C., Wang, J., Gao, D., & Chen, C. (2020). ZINC TRANSPORTER5 and ZINC TRANSPORTER9 function synergistically in zinc/cadmium uptake. Plant Physiology, 183(3), 1235–1249. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.19.01569
Taşpınar, K., Aytop, H., Ateş, Ö., Varol, M., Yalçın, G., Kızılaslan, F., ... & Toprak, S. (2025). Zinc bioavailability in semiarid agricultural regions: A soil property-based assessment. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 47, 238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-025-02544-3
WHO/FAO. (2007). Report of the thirty-eighth session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (Joint FAO/WHO Food Standard Programme Codex Alimentarius Commission 13th Session).
Zafar, S., Ashraf, M. Y., & Saleem, M. (2017). Shift in physiological and biochemical processes in wheat supplied with zinc and potassium under saline condition. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 41(1), 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2017.1380825
Zhao, F. J., & Wang, P. (2020). Arsenic and cadmium accumulation in rice and mitigation strategies. Plant and Soil, 446, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04374-6
Zhao, X., Song, B., Riaz, M., Li, M., Lal, M. K., Adil, M. F., ... & Ishfaq, M. (2024). Foliar zinc spraying improves assimilative capacity of sugar beet leaves by promoting magnesium and calcium uptake and enhancing photochemical performance. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 206, 108277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.108277
Zhu, S., Zhang, S., Wang, W., Hu, N., & Shi, W. (2025). Transcriptome analysis reveals candidate pathways and genes involved in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) response to zinc deficiency. Biology, 14(8), 985. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14080985

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Bedriye Bilir ^*
0000-0002-0038-9509
Türkiye

Hava Şeyma İnci
0000-0002-2670-401X
Türkiye

Publication Date

April 29, 2026

Submission Date

January 9, 2026

Acceptance Date

March 30, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1860022

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA44GC68JW

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Bilir, B., & İnci, H. Ş. (2026). Zn Deficiency-Cd Contaminated Soils: The Effect of Zn Fertilization on the Uptake of Cd and Some Nutrient Elements by Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plants. Yuzuncu Yıl University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 1, 1860022. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1860022