Responses of tomato and sweet corn to different cadmium levels in calcareous soils

SummaryThe effects of seven Cd levels (0, 10, 20, 40, 80,160 and 320 μg g−1) on the growth and chemical composition of tomato and sweet corn grown in two calcareous soil types were studied in a glasshouse experiment. Cadmium had no significant effect on dry weight of tomato roots in either soil, whereas the highest Cd level markedly decreased the root dry weight of corn. Shoot dry weights generally decreased with increasing Cd levels in either soil. However, the reduction in growth was more pronounced for corn than for tomato and was more marked in one soil. Root and shoot tissues increased in Cd concentration with increasing levels of Cd, Cd accumulation being substantially higher in roots than in shoots. Furthermore, the plants and soils tested exhibited a highly variable capacity to accumulate Cd as the Cd levels increased. Tomato absorbed more Cd than corn.