Effect of cultivar and cadmium rate upon the nutrient content of soybean plants

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivar, Cd rate, and cultivar x Cd rate interaction upon nutrient concentrations in the plant. Cultivars rated as T (tolerant) or S (susceptible) to Cd were included in the study. A factorial combination of 10 cultivars and 4 levels of Cd were randomized in 4 replications of a completely randomized design. Additions of CdCl₂ dissolved in distilled water were made to weighed quantities of dry soil. The soil was a Flanagan silt loam (Aquic Argiudoll). Four weeks after planting, plants were harvested, air dried and dry ashed. Chemical determinations of Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, K, Ca, Mg and P in plants were made by emission spectroscopy.

Nutrient concentrations were affected by cultivar and rate of Cd and generally, nutrient concentrations decreased as rate of Cd increased. The Cd linear x cultivar interaction significantly affected plant concentration of each element except P indicating that the linear effect of Cd was not consistent among all cultivars. A comparison of “susceptible”; cultivars with “tolerant”; cultivars showed significant differences in nutrient concentration of each element except K. Plant K concentration was significantly associated with a Cd linear x T (tolerant) vs. S (susceptible) interaction indicating that the linear trend due to Cd rate differed between cultivars rated S or T to Cd.