PSM Grad Student Chenxi Li Studies the Effects of Soil Amendments on the Uptake of Heavy Metals in Carrots

In this project, as introduced previously in MSU Today, under the supervision of faculty members, Chenxi and the team are growing carrots in soil sampled at a Michigan carrot farm to evaluate uptake of metalloids at various growth stages, soil amendment application conditions, and soil moisture levels. The project involves experimenting with soil amendments and hydration regimes to reduce bioavailability and uptake of toxic metalloids (e.g., As, Cd, Cr, Pb etc.). It’s an exciting prospect with the potential for implications in Michigan agriculture: the hypothesis is that different developmental and climatic conditions will be highly consequential.

Chenxi came to crop science from Beijing in 2014, and he finished his BSc degree in microbiology at MSU.  He then completed his MSc in materials science working with low dimensional materials.

And now he’s learning how to grow carrots. “I’m learning numerous new knowledge and skills in different disciplinaries, and I will combine them together to enhance the quality of crops” Chenxi said, including the nuances of working with live plants, and figuring out the best materials and methods to get the information he needs.

ecause most crops' seeds and fruits are edible. 

Chenxi also learned that the carrot first develops with much of the root growing above the soil in microcosm experiments and pot experiments. The current pot experiments are revealing the effectiveness of mixed amendments and moisture control in reducing the toxic metal(loid). Meantime, the pot experiments can find the amendment that is enhancing the disease resistance while reducing the toxic metal(loid) concentration in carrots roots. 

“And after a while, as the carrot matures, it is sinking deeper into soil. I didn’t know that would happen. We also had to figure out how much amendment we can add without actually killing the plants,” Chenxi said.

An unintended result that we are seeing is that the metalloids are concentrating in the carrot tops – which are discarded,” Chenxi said. “We have observed this phenomenon in this experiment.”