Effect of humic acid-based amendments with foliar application of Zn and Se on Cd accumulation in tobacco

- Soil amendments inhibited Cd accumulation in tobacco leaves.
- Amendments significantly restrained the bioconcentration and translocation of Cd.
- Foliar Zn reduced Cd content in tobacco leaves while foliar Se enhanced it.
- Foliar Zn were not as effective as soil amendments in reducing Cd content in leaves.

The smoke of tobacco is a major source of exposure to Cd in humans and therefore it is urgent to find a way to a method to reduce Cd accumulation in tobacco. A four-month tobacco pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of two base treatments (humic acid-based amendments) and two foliar treatments (Zn and Se) on Cd uptake by tobacco. The results showed that Cd in tobacco was mainly transferred into leaves, which could be significantly reduced by both applied amendments. The Cd contents in leaves were reduced by up to 67%. Foliar Zn alone significantly decreased Cd contents in leaves while foliar Se slightly increased them. When base and foliar treatments were combined, base treatments had dominant effects but those of foliar treatments were not distinct. The applied amendments did reduce Cd contents in all the parts of tobacco and the translocation into leaves and they were more effective than foliar Zn and Se.