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Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi-Assisted Phytoremediation: A Promising Strategy for Cadmium-Contaminated Soils

Summary

Cadmium contamination in farm soils poses serious threats to food safety and human health. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are beneficial fungi that form partnerships with plant roots and can significantly reduce the amount of cadmium that plants absorb from contaminated soil. These fungi work through multiple mechanisms including physically trapping cadmium in soil, improving plant nutrition and stress resilience, and enhancing the plant’s natural detoxification systems. This natural approach offers a sustainable and cost-effective strategy for cleaning up contaminated agricultural land.

Background

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soils has become a global concern due to industrial activities and phosphatic fertilizer use, posing serious risks to food security and human health. Cd toxicity disrupts plant physiological processes including photosynthesis, growth, and nutrient metabolism. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbiotic associations with plants that may help alleviate Cd stress through multiple mechanisms.

Objective

This review synthesizes current understanding of how AMF alleviate cadmium toxicity in plants and promote phytoremediation of contaminated soils. The authors aim to highlight the mechanisms by which AMF regulate Cd accumulation, transport, and toxicity while identifying factors affecting AMF efficacy.

Results

AMF alleviate Cd stress through multiple mechanisms including: reduced Cd transport into roots, improved plant nutrition, enhanced antioxidant capacity, increased phytochelatin and metallothionein synthesis, modulation of metal transporter gene expression, and sequestration of Cd in fungal structures. AMF also influence soil properties including pH, organic matter content, and aggregate stability, reducing Cd bioavailability. The efficacy depends on soil properties, plant species, AMF taxa, and experimental duration.

Conclusion

AMF-assisted phytoremediation represents a promising strategy for managing Cd-contaminated agricultural soils. However, optimizing effectiveness requires further knowledge of complex plant-AMF-Cd interactions, consideration of multiple influencing factors, and development of integrated management approaches including native AMF promotion and sustainable agricultural practices.
  • Published in:Plants (Basel),
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 39683082, PMC11644421, DOI: 10.3390/plants13233289
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