Integrated physiological, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses provide insights into phosphorus-mediated cadmium detoxification in Salix caprea roots

Phosphorus (P) plays a crucial role in facilitating plant adaptation to cadmium (Cd) stress. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying P-mediated responses to Cd stress in roots remain elusive. This study investigates the effects of P on the growth, physiology, transcriptome, and metabolome of Salix caprea under Cd stress. The results indicate that Cd significantly inhibits plant growth, while sufficient P alleviates this inhibition. Under Cd exposure, P sufficiency resulted in increased Cd accumulation in roots, along with reduced oxidative stress levels (superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide contents were reduced by 16.8% and 30.1%, respectively). This phenomenon can be attributed to the enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), as well as increased levels of antioxidants including ascorbic acid (AsA) and flavonoids under sufficient P conditions. A total of 4208 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 552 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified in the transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, with 2596 DEGs and 113 DAMs identified among treatments with different P levels under Cd stress, respectively. Further combined analyses reveal the potential roles of several pathways in P-mediated Cd detoxification, including flavonoid biosynthesis, ascorbate biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways. Notably, sufficient P upregulates the expression of genes including HMA, ZIP, NRAMP and CAX, all predicted to localize to the cell membrane. This may elucidate the heightened Cd accumulation under sufficient P conditions. These findings provide insights into the roles of P in enhancing plant resistance to Cd stress and improving of phytoremediation.