Effects of Exogenous 5-Aminolevulinic Acid and 24-Epibrassinolide on Cd Accumulation in Rice from Cd-Contaminated Soil

Abstract High grain-Cd-accumulating rice variety Yongyou 9 was planted in Cd-contaminated farmland in Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, China to study the effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) on Cd accumulation in brown rice. Results showed that the exogenous ALA and EBR had no significant effects on agronomic traits, soil pH and total Cd content in soil, but had some effects on the available Cd content in soil, and significantly influenced the Cd accumulation in the different parts of rice. Results also showed that 100 mg/L exogenous ALA significantly reduced the Cd accumulation in brown rice to blow the food safety standard (0.2 mg/kg), and also significantly reduced the Cd contents in the roots and culm of rice. However, 200 mg/L exogenous ALA treatment increased the Cd content in brown rice remarkably. In addition, 0.15 mg/L EBR treatment increased Cd accumulation in roots, culm, leaves and brown rice notably, whereas 0.30 mg/L exogenous EBR treatment reduced the Cd accumulation in brown rice properly, but it was not significant. Therefore, proper concentration of ALA can effectively reduce the Cd accumulation in brown rice, which can be used as an effective technical method for the safe production of rice in Cd polluted farmland.