Analysing cadmium uptake from root to shoot

Nilusha Ubeynarayana’s research focused on how best to manage cadmium concentration in New Zealand soils .

The Sri Lankan PhD student, who undertook her three-year research project through Massey University, used a range of advanced techniques, aimed at discovering how plants uptake cadmium from root to shoot.

Nilusha’s research built on a PhD study by Aaron Stafford, which analysed the cadmium concentration of 12 forage species. This research showed that two popular supplementary feeds, chicory and plantain, accumulated significantly more cadmium than other forage species. These two plants are an important part of animal feed as they are a drought-tolerant, high nutrient food crop.

“The big question I was seeking to answer was why chicory and plantain accumulate more cadmium,” says Nilusha.

To answer this question Nilusha analysed the chemistry of the rhizosphere, the few millimetres of soil surrounding the plant roots that is influenced by the activity of soil microorganisms and plant roots. She conducted experiments to study rhizosphere soil solution and root interaction in order to understand how this influences cadmium uptake of various forages when phosphate fertiliser has been applied on a long-term basis.

To learn more about her findings download her thesis here:  Plant associated soil mechanisms of cadmium uptake and translocation in chicory and plantain (massey.ac.nz)

Nilusha’s research was funded by the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand and the Foundation of Arable Research. Her supervisors were Dr Paramsothy Jeyakumar (Jeya), Professor Chris Anderson, Dr Roberto Calvelo Pereira and Dr Peter Bishop.