Agroecotoxicological Aspect of Arsenic (As) and Cadmium (Cd) on Field Crops and its Mitigation: Current Status and Future Prospect

Abstract

The level of heavy metals has increased in the environment due to anthropogenic activities. Arsenic and cadmium are two nonessential heavy metals that are reported to have crossed permissible limits in the soil and water of many regions worldwide. Both heavy metals severely hamper plant growth and development. Arsenic and cadmium when taken up by plants are responsible for overproduction of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which is quite lethal. Plants have their own enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms to reduce the production of ROS but when oxidative stress exceeds the limit, plants succumb. The focus of this chapter is to present an overview of many ameliorating agents that have been used in both laboratory and field conditions to minimize accumulation and toxicity in crop plants caused by these heavy metals.