Arsenic Uptake in Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) as Influenced by Soil Tillage Practices and Fertilization Sources in Mediterranean Environment
Author(s)
Date Issued
2025
Type
article
Volume
15
Issue
2
Start Page
217
Journal
Abstract
Nowadays, arsenic (As) accumulation in agricultural soils and its transfer in
crop yields is representing a growing concern that threatens food safety and security in the
Mediterranean environment. Soil tillage and fertilization may increase the accumulation of
As in plant tissues; therefore, there is a need to develop sustainable agronomical practices
capable of supporting crop yield while mitigating As accumulation. The current study
was carried out through a 7-year experiment with the aim of evaluating the As uptake
by different parts of the durum wheat plant. The experimental treatments include the
following: (i) three soil tillage practices (plowing, subsoiling, and spading) and (ii) two
fertilization methods (mineral and organic). A factorial randomized complete block design
with three replications was adopted. The experimental period refers to the 2018/2019,
2019/2020, and 2020/2021 growing seasons. The results suggest that the maximum level of
As was found in plant roots and the minimum in wheat kernels. The chemical fertilization
as 2020 × Mineral (1.522 mg As kg−1 d.m.) and 2020 × Plowing (1.855 mg As kg−1 d.m.)
had the maximum As content in the roots. Conversely, the content of As was at a minimum
in the wheat kernels for organic fertilization as 2021 × Organic (0.012 mg As kg−1 d.m.) and
subsoiling tillage as 2021 × Subsoiling (0.008 mg As kg−1 d.m.). Moreover, the application
of an organic fertilization source as a tool for enhancing the soil organic matter content also
significantly decreased the As content. The results suggest that reduced tillage practices
and the adoption of organic amendment could be classified as sustainable agronomic
practices in agri-food systems, which are able to improve plant quality and assure a safe
consumption of wheat kernels.