HYPOTHESIS AND THEORY article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Abiotic Stress
Research potential and mechanism of rare earth elements promoting cadmium remediation efficiency in hyperaccumulator plants
Provisionally accepted
- 1Hainan Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation, Institute of Agricultural Environment and Soil, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- 2Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University School of Resources and Environment, Fuzhou, China
- 3Hainan University School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Haikou, China
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Cadmium (Cd) contamination poses serious ecological and health risks, and although hyperaccumulator plants offer a sustainable phytoremediation strategy, their field performance is often constrained by low biomass and limited tolerance under metal stress. Recent studies indicate that rare earth elements (REEs), especially lanthanum (La³⁺) and cerium (Ce³⁺), can influence multiple plant and soil processes that are relevant to Cd phytoextraction. Low-dose REEs have been reported to stimulate plant growth, modulate phytohormone signaling, enhance root development, and support antioxidant responses, which may collectively improve Cd tolerance and uptake. REEs can also modify soil chemical conditions and shape rhizosphere microbial communities that contribute to Cd mobilization. In some model species, REE exposure has been associated with the induction of systemic endocytosis, a process that may provide an additional pathway for the uptake of external ions, including Cd. Here, we synthesize current evidence on how REEs interact with plant physiological processes, soil Cd speciation, and rhizosphere microbial function, and we summarize emerging insights into REE-induced systemic endocytosis. We further propose a conceptual REE–plant–soil–microbe interaction framework to integrate these regulatory pathways. Finally, we discuss key uncertainties and research needs related to mechanism verification, ecological safety, and field applicability. This review provides a foundation for evaluating the potential of REEs as regulatory agents to enhance Cd phytoremediation using hyperaccumulator plants.
Keywords: Cadmium, Hyperaccumulator plants, Phytoremediation, Rare Earth Elements, Rhizosphere microbes
Received: 19 Nov 2025; Accepted: 15 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Shi, Yang, Zhang and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: An Shi
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