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Agronomy
Special Issues
Regulation of Heavy Metals Migration and Accumulation in Soil–Plant System
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Regulation of Heavy Metals Migration and Accumulation in Soil–Plant System

A Special Issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395) belonging to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2027 | Viewed by 1241

Editor

Dr. Nan Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: heavy metals; soil fertility; acidification; variable charged soils
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heavy metal (HM) contamination in agricultural soils has emerged as a global environmental and food safety concern over the past several decades. Anthropogenic activities such as mining, smelting, industrial effluents, improper waste disposal, and excessive application of agrochemicals have led to widespread accumulation of HM (e.g., Cd, Pb, As, Hg) in soil systems. Historically, research focused on total metal concentrations; however, it is now recognized that bioavailability, speciation, and complex interactions within the soil–plant continuum determine actual crop uptake and human exposure. Specifically, the migration and transfer of HM in soil-pore water and rhizosphere micro-interfaces are determining factors for crop accumulation of HM and its human exposure. The Special Issue aims to explore the mechanisms concerning HM migration in soil and rhizosphere transfer into plants, as well as the development of HM passivation, foliar fertilization and other technologies to regulate HM uptake by plants, in order to realize safety agricultural production and farmland quality improvement.

Dr. Nan Zhang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • heavy metal
  • soil–plant interaction
  • translocation
  • rhizosphere absorption
  • microbial detoxification
  • chemical immobilization

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 2186 KB  
Article
Foliar Application of Selenium Nanoparticles Reduced Cadmium Accumulation and Alleviated Cd Toxicity in Winter Wheat Grown in Cd-Contaminated Soil
by Yixun Qin, Yuanzhe Ma, Shangyan Hao, Yunmei Wu and Fuyong Wu
Agronomy 2026, 16(15), 1468; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16151468 - 2 Aug 2026
Viewed by 381
Abstract
This study investigated the efficacy and mechanisms of foliar-applied selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in reducing cadmium (Cd) concentrations and alleviating Cd toxicity in winter wheat grown in Cd-contaminated soil. Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate SeNPs of different particle sizes (50, 100, 200 nm) [...] Read more.
This study investigated the efficacy and mechanisms of foliar-applied selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in reducing cadmium (Cd) concentrations and alleviating Cd toxicity in winter wheat grown in Cd-contaminated soil. Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate SeNPs of different particle sizes (50, 100, 200 nm) and concentrations (0.125, 0.25 mmol/L). Foliar SeNPs application achieved the dual objectives of significantly decreasing Cd while increasing selenium (Se) concentrations in wheat grain. High-concentration (0.25 mmol/L) SeNPs treatments were most effective, particularly with a particle size of 100 nm size. Compared with the control, SeNPs significantly reduced grain Cd concentrations by 18.9–70.5% and increased grain Se concentrations by 1.2–27.2 times. Durum wheat exhibited a stronger response than soft wheat. The primary mechanisms included: (1) enhancing antioxidant defense: SeNPs significantly boosted superoxide dismutase (55.2–165.2%) and peroxidase (36.5–182.6%) activities, effectively scavenging reactive oxygen species, reducing oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (12.0–35.1%) and regulating hydrogen peroxide (7.9–64.1%), which mitigated membrane lipid peroxidation. (2) Regulating subcellular Cd distribution: SeNPs increased the proportion of Cd immobilized in the cell wall by 2.9–39.6% and decreased Cd in organelles by 9.1–38.4%, thereby reducing its bioavailability and toxicity. This study provides a theoretical basis for using foliar SeNPs to remediate Cd pollution and simultaneously produce Se-enriched functional wheat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regulation of Heavy Metals Migration and Accumulation in Soil–Plant System)
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30 pages, 1483 KB  
Article
Impact of Biochar and Its Modification on Heavy Metals and Drought in Rice: Knowns, Unknowns, and Research Directions
by Bilal Zulfiqar, Rui Chen, Qiufen Feng, Chao He, Yuxiao Sun, Yang Zhang, Yanan Wang, Xibai Zeng, Cuixia Wu and Nan Zhang
Agronomy 2026, 16(13), 1254; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16131254 - 29 Jun 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 563
Abstract
Rice, a staple food for over half of the global population, faces significant threats from environmental stressors such as heavy metal (HMs) contamination, notably cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As), and increasing drought severity, exacerbated by climate change. These challenges not only compromise rice [...] Read more.
Rice, a staple food for over half of the global population, faces significant threats from environmental stressors such as heavy metal (HMs) contamination, notably cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As), and increasing drought severity, exacerbated by climate change. These challenges not only compromise rice yield and quality but also pose serious food safety risks due to HM accumulation in grains, endangering human health. Modified biochar (MBC), a carbon-rich material derived from the pyrolysis of organic matter with post-treatment enhancements, has emerged as a strategy to address these dual stressors. MBC application (typically 5–20 t ha−1) reduces Cd and As bioavailability in paddy soils by 40–60% and decreases metal accumulation in rice grains by 20–85% compared to the control. Under drought conditions, MBC improves soil water-holding capacity by 11–45% and enhances crop water use efficiency by 15–24%, leading to yield improvements of 20–50% under moderate water deficit. Furthermore, MBC supports nutrient availability, fosters robust root systems, and enhances soil aeration, collectively improving rice growth under adverse conditions. Beyond its agronomic benefits, MBC provides a framework for addressing multiple challenges by integrating scientific innovation, policy alignment, and community participation. This approach not only reduces heavy metal toxicity and strengthens plant resilience but also enhances food security and advances Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 15, 17). By promoting environmentally sustainable agriculture and contributing to climate change mitigation, MBC represents a transformative tool for ensuring sustainable rice production in the face of global challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regulation of Heavy Metals Migration and Accumulation in Soil–Plant System)
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