Soil amendments: a tool to reduce heavy metal uptake in crops for production of safe food

Abstract

Abstract: Population explosion, urbanization, crunch of resources, changes in social outlook and improper distribution of food has elicited a situation where every one in nine people are deprived of sufficient food. To increase the production and attain food security, many malpractices like cultivation on contaminated land and irrigation with wastewater are being carried out. These practices lead to the transfer of heavy metals from soil to food crops and thus food chain. Translocation of heavy metals can be reduced by decreasing the mobility of heavy metals. Amending the soil with suitable substrates helps in immobilization of heavy metals and thus reducing the uptake by plants. There is need to identify suitable soil amendments which can reduce heavy metal uptake and enhance crop yield. The present review summarizes various inorganic and organic amendments which can immobilize heavy metals and thus can be used for soil remediation.