Effects of Soil Tillage and Fertilization on the Arsenic Uptake in Durum Wheat

The increasing heavy metal contamination with concentrations of trace elements, especially arsenic, is a serious problem due to their toxicity and carcinogenicity. Arsenic accumulation in plants is slowly increasing in various parts of the world through anthropogenic activities and the industrial effluents that are released in soil and water. Although Arsenic is not an essential element for plant growth, it can be adsorbed and accumulated in plant tissues, including those of vegetables, fruits and grains, therefore it represents a potential risk to human health due to its toxicity. Worldwide, durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) kernels are used for the production of staple foods, such as pasta and bread, thus, in a wheat-based diet a large amount of Arsenic could enter in the food chain and cause human health issues. It is well known that arsenic accumulation in agricultural plants is related to the availability of Arsenic in the soil, the physiology of plants and several soil factors, mainly pH, moisture, microbial community and nutrient dynamics. Several methods have been adopted to reduce the concentration of Arsenic in the contaminated sites, but generally all these methods are costly and low efficient. A proper use of soils in agricultural cropping systems could represent a suitable way to reduce the risks of food contamination, however few studies have investigated the effects of agronomical practices on Arsenic accumulation in agricultural plants and their products. This study hypothesized that the soil tillage and fertilization practices could affect Arsenic accumulation in durum wheat. The main objective of this study was to evaluate how soil tillage (plowing, ripping and spading) and fertilization source (mineral and organic) affect Arsenic accumulation on durum wheat.