Potentially toxic trace elements in wheat and their effects on the plant development and concentration of essential nutrients

Abstract

The understanding of mechanisms of accumulation of trace elements in wheat is of critical importance. Although the knowledge on biogeochemistry of toxic metals and metalloids is quite extensive, list of the elements that attracted attention of researchers is rather short. Most of the information is limited to few elements, so-called heavy metals. Until recently, the knowledge on biochemistry and ecotoxicity of other trace elements is scarce. This has resulted in a commonly accepted opinion that many trace elements presented in wheat at low concentrations are unnecessary impurities that do not play any essential role in the biochemical processes. This chapter reviews the potential impact of environmental pollution on food security. We will discuss recent findings on bioaccumulation such poorly studied trace elements as rare earth elements and antimony, their toxicity and effects on the wheat.