Open Access
ARTICLE
Cadmium-Induced Structure Change of Pigment Glands and the Reduction of the Gossypol Content in Cottonseed Kernels
Ling Li1,*, Xuyu Yan1, Lei Mei2, Shuijin Zhu2
1 College of Life Sicence, Yan’an University, Yan’an, 716000, China
2 College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
* Corresponding Author: Ling Li. Email:
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2020, 89(2), 315-327. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2020.09108
Received 12 November 2019; Accepted 19 December 2019; Issue published 22 April 2020
Abstract
The risk of cotton production on arable land contaminated with heavy
metals has increased in recent years. Cotton shows stronger and more extensive
resistance to heavy metals, such as cadmium (Cd) than that of other major crops.
Here, a potted plant experiment was performed to study Cd-induced alterations in
the cottonseed kernel gossypol content and pigment gland structure at maturity in
two transgenic cotton cultivars (ZD-90 and SGK3) and an upland cotton standard
genotype (TM-1). The results showed that Cd accumulation in cottonseed kernels
increased with increasing Cd levels in the soil. The seed kernel Cd content in
plants grown on Cd-treated soils was 10-20 times greater than the amount in
the corresponding controls. There was a significant difference in Cd accumulation
in cottonseed kernels at the 400 and 600 μM Cd levels. Cd accumulation was
higher in SGK3 and ZD-90 than in TM-1. However, the gossypol content in cottonseed kernels was lower in SGK3 and ZD-90 than in TM-1. There was a negative correlation (r = 0.550) between Cd accumulation and the gossypol content in
cottonseed kernels. The density of cottonseed kernel pigment glands decreased
under Cd stress. This is consistent with the change in gossypol content, which
decreased under Cd stress. The damage of the cultivars ZD-90 and SGK3 from
Cd poisoning was relatively low under Cd stress, while TM-1 was seriously
affected and exhibited Cd sensitivity. Further studies are necessary to understand
the cause of the reduced gossypol content in cotton seeds under Cd stress.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Li, L., Yan, X., Mei, L., Zhu, S. (2020). Cadmium-Induced Structure Change of Pigment Glands and the Reduction of the Gossypol Content in Cottonseed Kernels.
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, 89(2), 315–327. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2020.09108