A single recessive gene controls cadmium translocation in the cadmium hyperaccumulating rice cultivar Cho-Ko-Koku

The heavy metal cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic to humans and can enter food chains from contaminated crop fields. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of Cd accumulation in crop species will aid production of safe Cd-free food. Here, we identified a single recessive gene that allowed higher Cd translocation in rice, and also determined the chromosomal location of the gene. The Cd hyperaccumulator rice variety Cho-Ko-Koku showed 3.5-fold greater Cd translocation than the no-accumulating variety Akita 63 under hydroponics. Analysis of an F(2) population derived from these cultivars gave a 1:3 segregation ratio for high:low Cd translocation. This indicates that a single recessive gene controls the high Cd translocation phenotype. A QTL analysis identified a single QTL, qCdT7, located on chromosome 7. On a Cd-contaminated field, Cd accumulation in the F(2) population showed continuous variation with considerable transgression. Three QTLs for Cd accumulation were identified and the peak of the most effective QTL mapped to the same region as qCdT7. Our data indicate that Cd translocation mediated by the gene on qCdT7 plays an important role in Cd accumulation on contaminated soil.