Interactive effects of nitrogen application and cadmium contamination on Pakchoi growth and Cd accumulation

Soil Cd pollution has negative effect on eco-environment as well as agricultural production.Loess soil was used to investigate the interactive effects of nitrogen application and cadmium contamination on dry weight and cadmium content in the shoot and root of Pakchoi in a greenhouse pot experiment.The results showed that Pakchoi growth status was significantly improved with the increase of nitrogen to loess soil in all cadmium treatments,while Pakchoi's dry weight was not significantly affected by soil cadmium contamination in any nitrogen treatments.Cadmium concentration and accumulation in the shoot and root were significantly increased with the increase of cadmium,changes in cadmium concentration in the shoot and root of Pakchoi with the increase of nitrogen was different with cadmium treatments,Pakchoi growth as well as cadmium accumulation was increased with the increase of nitrogen application.Cadmium accumulation in shoot of Pakchoi was greater than that in root of Pakchoi and there are not obvious toxic symptom appeared in the plant of Pakchoi,it indicated that the shoot of Pakchoi has the characteristic of both tolerating and accumulating cadmium from the soil.The results may be instructive in providing theoretical foundation for the prevention of cadmium contamination in vegetables.