cadmium

accumulation

uptake

physiological changes

barnyardgrass

barnyard grass

Heavy metals contamination of soil

Cadmium (Cd) is regarded as one of the most toxic environmental pollutants. A better understanding of the growth response, uptake, and translocation of Cd in barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) would be helpful for evaluating the role of this grass species as a potential candidate to be used for phytoremediation. The studied plants were grown in treated soils with increasing doses of Cd (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.5 mg·kg^-1). The results showed that Cd contents in plant tissues were found to increase with increasing doses of Cd. The pattern of Cd accumulation in different parts of the plant were found as: root > aboveground part > seed. Translocation factor (TF) values were found to be less than 1, and translocation from root to aboveground part was found to be higher as compared to that of aboveground part to seed. There was no significant difference on the aboveground part fresh weight (FW) and tiller number per plant under different concentrations of Cd stress. The root FW and the lengths of roots and shoots were significantly decreased in response to Cd treatments at low concentrations. However, the 1.5 mg·kg^-1 Cd application didn’t affect significant changes on the root and shoot length than that of the control. A high concentration of cadmium supply could promote chlorophyll content. SOD showed a similar trend to POD in Cd-exposed plants, with an increase at lower concentrations and a decrease at higher concentrations.