Effect of bamboo biochar on reducing grain cadmium content in two contrasting wheat genotypes

Wheat is the second most important food crop worldwide, which is prone to accumulate cadmium (Cd). Accumulation of Cd in wheat grains depends not only on wheat genotype, but also largely on the availability of soil Cd and its internal distribution. In this study, several experiments were used to achieve low-grain Cd content: a field trial for wheat genotype screening, a soil incubation experiment to test passivation effect of bamboo biochar on soil Cd, and a soil pot experiment to examine bamboo biochar effect on wheat grain accumulation. The results showed that of the 243 wheat cultivars tested, the variation range of grain Cd content was 0.365–1.243 mg/kg, in a field with soil Cd of 3 mg/kg. The application of bamboo biochar reduced soil Cd availability, among which 5.0% bamboo biochar treatment had the greatest effect. The content of available Cd in soil treated with 5.0% bamboo biochar decreased by 0.32 mg/kg compared with the control in a 120-day incubation experiment. Effect of bamboo biochar (0, 0.1%, 1.0%, and 5.0%) on reducing grain Cd content in two wheat genotypes (Mianyou-1 and 1279–9) was investigated. The application of bamboo biochar decreased Cd uptake by plants, while distribution of Cd in different wheat plant parts was more controlled by the plant genetic characteristics. Compared with the control, Cd content in roots, straw, and grains was decreased by 34.06% (P < 0.05), 21.57%, and 23.33%, respectively, in low-grain Cd wheat cultivar 1279–9 by 5% bamboo biochar application. Overall, the combination of low-grain Cd accumulation wheat and bamboo biochar may be a feasible strategy to lessen grain Cd accumulation in Cd-contaminated soils.