Cadmium uptake by a hyperaccumulator and three Pennisetum grasses with associated rhizosphere effects

Pennisetum grasses (P. purpureum Schumach. ‘Purple’, P. alopecuroides (L.) Spreng. ‘Liren’ and P. alopecuroides (L.) Spreng. ‘Changsui’), and a cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator (Thlaspi caerulescens J.Presl & C.Presl), were grown in soil with four Cd addition levels of 0, 2, 20 and 200 mg/kg. Toxicity symptoms were not observed although growth of all plants decreased as Cd addition increased. Shoot bioconcentration factor (BCFS), the translocation factor (TF) and shoot accumulation of Cd for most plants first increased and then declined as Cd concentrations increased. In contrast, the root bioconcentration factor (BCFR) for T. caerulescens declined and root Cd accumulation for T. caerulescens and two P. alopecuroides cultivars increased consistently as Cd levels increased. P. purpureum had the largest biomass with shoot Cd accumulation similar to that of T. caerulescens, despite lower foliar Cd concentration. Although shoot Cd concentrations of two P. alopecuroides cultivars were lower than for P. purpureum, root Cd concentrations were greater. P. purpureum had Cd BCFS and TF (> 1) at 2- and 20-mg/kg Cd addition treatments, similar to T. caerulescens. P. alopecuroides cultivars had Cd BCFR (> 1) and TF (< 1) at all Cd levels. Roots did not affect rhizosphere pH. However, concentrations of acid extractable Cd in rhizosphere soil were lower than those of corresponding non-rhizosphere soil at all Cd levels for T. caerulescens and P. purpureum; T. caerulescens and P. purpureum did not affect less bioavailable Cd fractions. Concentrations of acid extractable Cd in the rhizosphere of the P. alopecuroides cultivars were not reduced at any Cd level. Differences in Cd accumulation among the three Pennisetum grasses were mainly attributable to root biomass and Cd TFs rather than rhizosphere Cd mobility.