Low Cd-accumulating rice intercropping with Sesbania cannabina L. reduces grain Cd while promoting phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil

Paddy field pollution with Cd has become a serious problem and poses threat to public health. Intercropping is new good agricultural practice for phytoremediation in Cd contaminated soil. Field and pot experiments were conducted to examine the effects of intercropping low Cd-accumulating rice with Sesbania cannabina on plant growth, uptake of Cd by the intercropping system, and rhizosphere microecology, and to evaluate the potential remediation of Cd contaminated soil and safety production of rice. The results of in the field experiment show that, in intercropping system, the concentration of Cd in the grain of rice (0.18 mg kg−1) was below the threshold level permitted by the National Food Safety Standard of China (GB 2762-2017, 0.20 mg kg−1). Furthermore, the yield per plant of rice in intercropping system significantly (P < 0.05) increased by 19.71%. At the same time, the bio-concentration amount (BCA) of Cd per plant of Sesbania cannabina in intercropping system significantly (P < 0.05) increased by 46.15%. The metal removal equivalent ratio (MRER) of Cd was 1.11, indicating that the intercropping system had advantage in Cd removal. In the pot experiment, the rice intercropped with Sesbania cannabina under no barrier (IN) treatment significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the content of rhizosphere organic acids (oxalic and malic acids), and significantly (P < 0.05) increased the rhizosphere pH value and total iron plaque concentration on the root surface compared to the intercropping with plastic barrier (IN+P) treatment, which could significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the available Cd content in rhizosphere soil and the accumulation of Cd in rice organs. With this study we demonstrated that lower rhizosphere organic acids and higher iron plaque can obstruct and decreased the Cd absorbed by rice in a rice-Sesbania cannabina intercropping system. We conclude that intercropping rice with Sesbania cannabina is a promising and cost-effective agricultural practice for safe crop production and for phytoremediation in Cd-contaminated paddy soil. [Display omitted] •Intercropping of rice with sesbania cannabina has an obvious yield advantage and reduced the concentration of Cd in grain.•Intercropping of rice with sesbania cannabina has the potentials for removing Cd by sesbania cannabina in paddy field.•Decreasing rhizosphere organic acids reduced more Cd uptake by roots of rice in intercropping system.•Increasing iron plaque weakened the Cd uptake by roots of rice i