Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2021, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (3): 347-362.DOI: 10.11983/CBB20160

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Research Advances in Plant Physiological and Biochemical Mechanisms in Response to Cadmium Stress

Tingting An1,2,3, Di Huang1,2,3, Hao Wang1,2, Yi Zhang3, Yinglong Chen1,2,4,*()   

  1. 1State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
    2Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China
    3College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
    4Institute of Agriculture, and School of Agriculture and Environment, the University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
  • Received:2020-09-16 Accepted:2021-02-18 Online:2021-05-01 Published:2021-04-30
  • Contact: Yinglong Chen

Abstract: Cadmium (Cd) is one of the widely distributed and polluted heavy metals. With serious toxicity, Cd not only affects the growth and development of plants, but also endangers human health. This review summarizes recent research advances and underlying mechanisms of physiological and biochemical responses to Cd stress in plants. We also review and discuss plant responses in photosynthetic systems, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, antioxidant defense systems, hormones, calcium signals, and their underpinning proteomics and genomics mechanisms. We aim to form a theoretical basis for future research on understanding the physiological and biochemical mechanisms of plant responses to Cd stress.

Key words: cadmium, plant, physiological and biochemical characteristics, stress, mechanism