Biofortification Technology for the Remediation of Cadmium-Contaminated Farmland by the Hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii under Crop Rotation and Relay Cropping Mode

Abstract

Soil cadmium (Cd) extraction for hyperaccumulators is one of the most important technologies for the remediation of Cd-contaminated farmland soil. However, a phytoremediation model using a single hyperaccumulator cannot guarantee normal agricultural production in contaminated areas. To solve this problem, a combination of efficient remediation and safe production has been developed. Based on two-period field experiments, this study explored the effect of biofortification on soil Cd remediation using the fruit tree Sedum alfredii Hance and oil sunflower crop rotation and relay cropping mode. BioA and BioB treatments could markedly improve the efficiency of Cd extraction and remediation, and the maximum increase in Cd accumulation was 243.29%. When BioB treatment was combined with papaya–S. alfredii and oil sunflower crop rotation and relay cropping mode, the highest soil Cd removal rate in the two periods was 40.84%, whereas the Cd concentration of papaya fruit was lower than safety production standards (0.05 mg/kg). These results demonstrate that biofortification measures can significantly improve the Cd extraction effect of S. alfredii crop rotation and relay cropping restoration modes, which has guiding significance for Cd pollution remediation and safe production in farmland.