title: The role of root hairs in cadmium acquisition by barley.
abstract: The role of root hairs in Cd acquisition from soil was investigated in three pot experiments using a root hairless mutant (bald root barley, brb) and its wild-type (WT) cultivar of barley (Hordeum vulgare). brb had significantly lower concentrations and lower total amounts of Cd in shoots than WT. The Cd uptake efficiency based on total root length was 8-45% lower in brb than in WT. The difference between brb and WT increased with increasing extractable Cd in soil under the experimental conditions used. Additions of phosphate to soil decreased Cd extractability. Both soil and foliar additions of phosphate decreased root length, and root hair formation in WT. These effects resulted in decreased Cd uptake with increasing P supply. Cd uptake in WT correlated significantly with root length, root hair length and density, and soil extractable Cd. Root hairs contribute significantly to Cd uptake by barley.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of the Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ruilun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Huafen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rongfeng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Römheld
authors.forename: Fusuo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fang-Jie
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism*; D001467:Hordeum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium