Screening of Practical Low-accumulating Crops in Cadmium-polluted Farmland: A Field Survey and Field Trail in Guangdong Province, China

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soil poses significant threats to human health through the food chain. An effective and eco-friendly solution is to cultivate crops that absorb less Cd in their edible parts, referred to as low-accumulating crops (LACs). This approach is particularly beneficial in areas with limited arable land. However, research on practical LACs is still limited. To address this, a field survey and trial were conducted in Cd-contaminated farmlands in Guangdong Province, China. The survey assessed 41 crops, revealing that 83.4% of the samples met safety standards, with an average limit-exceeding risk (ERC-Cd) of 0.731. Based on the compliance status, 13 crops were selected for field trials on heavily polluted farmland to evaluate their stability. The compliance rate for these experimental crops reached 96.6%, with an average ERC-Cd of 0.483. Ultimately, 12 crops exhibiting high safety levels, stability, and potential for promotion were recommended as LACs. Throughout the field survey and trial, the identified LACs demonstrated high compliance rates (≥ 90.3%), stability across multiple seasons and locations, and potential adaptability to local environments and market demands. Thus, this study contributes to mitigating the contamination risk of agricultural products in Cd-contaminated farmlands of Guangdong. Furthermore, it facilitates the application and dissemination of alternative cultivation techniques by providing an effective method for screening practical LACs in specific regions.