Chinese researchers find rice-rich cadmium 'murderer'

Researchers identified a cadmium secondary active transport protein in rice, expressed mainly on the mass membrane of rice roots, involved in the process of cadmium absorption and grain cadmium accumulation in rice roots, the protein deficiency can significantly reduce the absorption efficiency of rice cadmium and grain cadmium accumulation.
researchers further found that genotypes were significantly differentiated in indica and indica. Field experiments show that the cadmium content of rice near-genotypes containing this genotype can be significantly reduced after the indica genotype is imported into the indica variety. The study shows that the genotype has great potential for low cadmium indica breeding.
is understood that rice is China's main food crops, divided into indica, indica two subseeds, of which indica is mainly grown in the southern region. Rice is easy to absorb and rich cadmium elements, making cadmium through the food chain into the human body, a serious threat to human health. In recent years, China's rice cadmium pollution situation is serious, including the southern rice cadmium pollution is particularly serious. Indica has a stronger cadmium accumulation capacity than indica, which may be an important reason for the excess of cadmium in southern rice.
DOI：10.1038/s41467-019-10544-y