Cadmium accumulation responses in Hylotelephium spectabile: The role of photosynthetic characteristics under different nitrogen, moisture, and light conditions.

The influence of environmental factors on Cd accumulation by Hylotelephium spectabile and its physiological mechanisms are unclear. A field trial was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen, soil moisture, and light regulation on plant growth, Cd absorption and translocation, and the photosynthetic characteristics of two H. spectabile populations (LN with high Cd accumulation capacity and HB1 with relatively low Cd accumulation capacity). The results showed that Cd accumulation in LN was 59.6% higher than that in HB1 which may partly be explained by the inherent high transpiration rate of LN, especially at the terminal stage. In addition, the photosynthetic rate of LN responded more positively to nitrogen than HB1, which further amplified its advantages on plant growth and Cd accumulation. Moderate drought significantly stimulated root growth of LN, indicating that LN possesses stronger resistance to drought. Shade inhibited Cd distribution, rather than directly affecting Cd concentrations in H. spectabile. The combined stress of shade and drought had a synergistic effect on Cd translocation in H. spectabile. Moreover, LN achieved 17.3%∼444.5% higher transpiration levels than HB1 under environmental stress, which ensured a more efficient Cd transport capacity of LN. Therefore, the investigation of photosynthetic characteristics further revealed the physiological mechanism by which LN accumulated Cd superior to HB1 under environmental stress and responded more positively to nitrogen nutrition.