Foliar application of zinc and selenium regulates cell wall fixation, physiological and gene expression to reduce cadmium accumulation in rice grains

Zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) are beneficial elements for crops, enhancing crop quality and alleviating heavy metal toxicity. However, there is limited research on the role of foliar Zn and Se in the mechanism of reducing cadmium (Cd) uptake in crops. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect on subcellular distribution, leaf antioxidant enzyme activities, and the transcriptional regulation in the process of Cd accumulation of rice grains after foliar applications of Zn, Se, and their mixed solutions (ZnSe). The results show that Zn and ZnSe reduced Cd content in the grains of three different rice (13.9 %−21.8 %/11.9 %−29.5 %) by enhancing the fixation capacity of Cd in the flag leaf by improving the binding efficiency between pectin and Cd in the cell wall. Increased flag leaf antioxidant enzyme activities further mitigated the toxic effects of Cd on rice, while Zn and ZnSe treatments upregulated genes related to metal-binding proteins and antioxidant enzymes and downregulated metal transport genes. This study systematically elucidates the mechanisms by which foliar application of ZnSe alleviates Cd toxicity through the regulation of gene expression and physiological functions, providing a theoretical basis for reducing Cd accumulation in rice and ensuring the safe production of food.