Pot experiment on Cadmium uptake by Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. and Brassica carinata (Ethiopian kale)

¹ Department of Agricultural Sciences, Sharda University, India
² Department of Life Sciences, School of Bio Science & Technology, Sharda University, India
³ Amity Institute of Horticulture Studies & Research, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Two species of Brassica i.e., Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) and Brassica carinata were studied to explore its phytoremediation potential against cadmium (Cd) contaminated soils. Seedlings were grown in pot soil and were spiked with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 -ppm Cd levels for one month. Cd treatment was applied twice at an interval of two weeks.Plant growth parameter (shoots), Cd accumulation in shoots in 30 days old seedlings, bioconcentration factor (BCF), and translocation factor (TF) were evaluated for both the plant species at same 30 days. Both the plants species exhibited tolerance to Cd levels up to 40 mg kg⁻¹ and showed not significant biomass reduction 15 days. At 1.12–2.81mg kg⁻¹ Cd, B. juncea showed 137–147 mg kg⁻¹ higher shoot Cd accumulation compared to B. carinata. The maximum shoot Cd accumulation was 0.175 mg kg^-1 for B. juncea and 0.155 mg kg^-1 for B. carinata at 0.2 mg Cd. TF values close to one indicated efficient root-to-shoot Cd translocation below 2.81mg/g Cd for both species. BCF, a key phytoremediation indicator, ranged from 3.2 -4.6 for B. juncea and 4.94–7.27 mg kg⁻¹ for B. carinata at Cd levels below 40 mg kg⁻¹. The findings suggest that both Brassica species demonstrated promising phytoremediation potential under moderate Cd-polluted soils, with B. carinata exhibiting slightly better performance of the two in terms of plant growth.