Impact of cadmium stress on early growth stage of different multipurpose tree species: Insights into sensitivity and tolerance

Publication details

Source

Soil and Environment

Published

2026

DOI

10.25252/SE/2026/254113 ↗

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) contamination is a major problem for plant growth and ecosystem stability. The tolerance of different tree species to Cd is quite different. The present study investigated the reaction of selected tree species (Ziziphus mauritiana, Terminalia arjuna, Melia azedarach, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Leucaena leucocephala, Tamarix aphylla, Salix tetrasperma, Populus deltoids, Ficus infectoria, Dalbergia sissoo) to various levels of Cd stress (0 mg kg⁻¹, 25 mg kg⁻¹, 50 mg kg⁻¹, and 100 mg kg⁻¹) in terms of growth performance, photosynthetic activity and stomatal conductance to determine their appropriateness for phytoremediation. Most species showed growth inhibition and reduced photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance due to Cd exposure, although diverse tolerance patterns emerged. Germination and sprouting percentage of E. camaldulensis and S. tetrasperma exhibited a non significant decline till 50 mg kg⁻¹ Cd stress but significantly decreased by 67.3% and 51.2% at 100 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. E. camaldulensis and P. deltoides showed relatively high tolerance, while S. tetrasperma showed higher photosynthetic activity (18 μmol CO₂ m-² s-¹) and stomatal conductance (0.45 mol H₂O m⁻² s⁻¹) at 25 mg kg⁻¹ Cd stress, respectively. L. leucocephala and F. infectoria, on the other hand, showed high sensitivity to Cd stress, indicating low phytoremediation potential. Findings of the present study suggest the importance of selecting suitable species for use in Cd-contaminated sites and the relevance of using P. deltoides and E. camaldulensis as possible phytoextractors. These findings underscore the need for further molecular and physiological studies to understand reduced Cd resistance in recalcitrant species, thereby facilitating the development of effective phytoremediation strategies

This metadata was supplied by a contributor and has not been independently verified. Follow the DOI or source link for the original publication and its access terms.