Fundamental research on environmental stress resistance mechanisms of cacti

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15629
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 41040:Agricultural environmental engineering and agricultural information engineering-related
• Research Institution: Chubu University
• Principal Investigator: Horibe Takanori 中部大学, 応用生物学部, 准教授 (30757943)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 食用サボテン / 環境ストレス耐性 / 水耕栽培 / ファイトレメディエーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the unknown environmental stress tolerance mechanism of cacti and to establish a new cultivation method using the characteristics. Through the research period, we clarified that cacti are hyperaccumulating plants with extremely high resistance to multiple heavy metals (zinc, iron, and cadmium). We also showed that cadmium tolerance may be related to the succulent morphological characteristics of cacti. In addition, we developed a cultivation technique that enhances the functionality of edible cacti by utilizing their resistance to heavy metals. In this study, we believe that we have obtained useful knowledge that will lead to the clarification of the environmental resistance of cacti and the development of new cultivation techniques.

Free Research Field

園芸学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

サボテンが乾燥や高温といった環境ストレス耐性に加えて、多様な重金属に対しても非常に高い耐性を持つことを世界で初めて示すことができた。また、重金属耐性を活用してミネラルを高濃度に含む機能性食用サボテンの栽培技術を開発した。さらに、サボテンの乾燥地域での土壌重金属浄化（ファイトレメディエーション）に応用できる可能性がある。本研究では、植物科学の発展に加え、食料飼料生産や食品産業に貢献する有用な知見を得ることができた。