Effect of fertilization on Pb and Cd content, and on physiological property of mustard growing in soil polluted by Pb and Cd

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the combined application of different fertilizers on the contents of Pb and Cd and on the physiological properties of mustard (Brassica juncea) in Pb and Cd polluted soils. The results show that fertilization treatments significantly decrease Cd uptake in mustard shoot, besides a significant mustard biomass increase compared with the control (P<0.05). Shoot Cd content under optimal combination of ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate and potassium sulfate treatment is only 41.0% that of the control. Fertilization increases the shoot Pb content of mustard, which is far lower than the standard of Pb content for the safe vegetable. Fertilizer application increases vegetable chlorophyll content, but with insignificant correlation between malondialdehyde (MDA), proline, cell membrane permeability and shoot Pb, Cd contents. Fertilization of heavy metal contaminated soils is a practicable technology for mitigating heavy metal content in shoots of leaf vegetables.