The effect of S nutrition level (standard—2 and
intensive—6 or 9 mmol S L-1) on the growth, micronutrient
status, and Cd concentration of Cd-exposed (0,
0.0002, 0.02, and 0.04 mmol Cd L-1) Triticum aestivum L.
‘Zebra’ was examined. The hypothesis that Cd-induced
micronutrient imbalance in this species is alleviated by
enhanced S-sulfate (S-SO4) nutrition was tested. The
intensive S nutrition, especially the dose of 6 mmol L-1, to
some extent alleviated Cd-induced stress by improving the
adverse changes in micronutrient status and increase of the
biomass. The root and shoot Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn concentrations
of Cd-exposed wheat rose at 6 and remained
unaltered at 9 mmol S L-1. Particularly noteworthy is the
substantial increase of Fe bioconcentration found in Cdstressed
plants at 6 mmol S L-1. The root Cu concentration
increased at 6 and decreased at 9 mmol S L-1, but did
not change in shoots. Simultaneously, both the high S
levels elevated the shoot Cl concentration but had no effect
on the root Cl concentration. There were no substantial
changes in the Mo concentration. The intensive S nutrition
of the Cd-treated wheat did not affect the translocation
factor (TF) of Fe and B. In turn, root-to-shoot translocation
of Mo and Zn was enhanced at 6 and remained unchanged
at 9 mmol S L-1. The changes in TF of Cl, Cu, and Mn
varied greatly, depending on the S and Cd concentrations.
Intensive S nutrition of Cd-stressed wheat, as a rule,
dropped the root and increased the shoot Cd concentration
as well as reduced Cd bioconcentration/bioaccumulation
factor enhancing root-to-shoot Cd translocation.