The Contribution of Trichoderma viride and Metallothioneins in Enhancing the Seed Quality of Avena sativa L. in Cd-Contaminated Soil

Pollution of arable land with heavy metals is a worldwide problem. Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal that poses a severe threat to humans' and animals' health and lives. Plants can easily absorb Cd from the soil, and plant-based food is the main means of exposure to this hazardous element for humans and animals. Phytoremediation is a promising plant-based approach to removing heavy metals from the soil, and plant growth-promoting micro-organisms such as the fungi <i>Trichoderma</i> can enhance the ability of plants to accumulate metals. Inoculation of <i>Avena sativa</i> L. (oat) with <i>Trichoderma viride</i> enhances germination and seedling growth in the presence of Cd and, in this study, the growth of 6-month-old oat plants in Cd-contaminated soil was not increased by inoculation with <i>T. viride</i>, but a 1.7-fold increase in yield was observed. The content of Cd in oat shoots depended on the Cd content in the soil. Still, it was unaffected by the inoculation with <i>T. viride</i>. <i>A. sativa</i> metallothioneins (AsMTs) participate in plant-fungi interaction, however, their role in this study depended on MT type and Cd concentration. The inoculation of <i>A. sativa</i> with <i>T. viride</i> could be a promising approach to obtaining a high yield in Cd-contaminated soil without increasing the Cd content in the plant.