Effects of an Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus on the Growth of and Cadmium Uptake in Maize Grown on Polluted Wasteland, Farmland and Slopeland Soils in a Lead-Zinc Mining Area

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) exist widely in soil polluted by heavy metals and have significant effects on plant growth and cadmium (Cd) uptake. Cd contents differ among wasteland, farmland and slopeland soils in a lead-zinc mining area in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The effects of AMF on maize growth, root morphology, low-molecular-weight organic acid (LMWOA) concentrations and Cd uptake were investigated via a root-bag experiment. The results show that AMF increased maize growth on Cd-polluted soils, resulting in increases in root length, surface area, volume and branch number, with the effects being stronger in farmland than in wasteland and slopeland soils; increased malic acid and succinic acid secretion 1.3-fold and 1.1-fold, respectively, in roots on farmland soil; enhanced the iron- and manganese-oxidized Cd concentration by 22.6%, and decreased the organic-bound Cd concentration by 12.9% in the maize rhizosphere on farmland soil; and increased Cd uptake 12.5-fold and 1.7-fold in shoots and by 25.7% and 86.6% in roots grown on farmland and slopeland soils, respectively. Moreover, shoot Cd uptake presented significant positive correlations with root surface area and volume and LMWOA concentrations. Thus, these results indicated the possible mechanism that the increased maize Cd uptake induced by AMF was closely related to their effect on root morphology and LMWOA secretion, with the effects varying under different Cd pollution levels.

Automated summary

The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can enhance the growth and cadmium (Cd) uptake of maize in Cd-polluted soil. The effects of AMF on root morphology and low-molecular-weight organic acid secretion may play an important role in the increased Cd uptake of maize.