University of Tehran Press Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research 2008-479X 56 6 2025 08 23 The role of cadmium-resistant bacteria and modifiers in improving rice crop quality The role of cadmium-resistant bacteria and modifiers in improving rice crop quality 1685 1714 103848 10.22059/ijswr.2025.389250.669871 FA Shayan Shariati Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0003-3441-209X Naser Mehrdadi Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran 0000-0002-1608-2405 Hossein Ali Alikhani Department of Soil Science Engineering, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran 0000-0002-8740-6059 Komeil Zeynali Department of Soil Science Engineering, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran 0009-0009-8227-6775 Journal Article 2025 01 25   Ensuring food security is essential for human survival. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a globally significant food crop and serves as the staple diet for more than half of the world's population. According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), rice consumption per capita in Iran is 60% higher than the global average. Therefore, addressing challenges that threaten this strategic crop is of paramount importance. In this context, numerous studies have identified cadmium as one of the common and critical contaminants of rice. Cadmium is toxic to plants, animals, and humans and does not play any role in biological processes. Due to its high water solubility, rapid accumulation in the food chain, severe toxicity to living organisms, and mutagenic nature, cadmium is considered one of the most hazardous heavy metal pollutants. Several reports highlight the ease with which cadmium is absorbed by rice plants and transferred to their stems and grains. Given the cadmium contamination in some paddy fields in Iran and its implications for food security, this review aims to investigate the factors influencing cadmium accumulation in rice plants and examine various physical, chemical, and especially biological methods for mitigating cadmium toxicity in rice. The findings suggest that remediation strategies such as inoculating soil with cadmium-resistant microorganisms and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), using plant growth stimulants, signaling molecules, organic and inorganic amendments like biochar, compost, nitrogen, iron, zinc, animal manure, plant residues, cultivating rice varieties with low cadmium uptake capacity, and proper water management can effectively reduce cadmium accumulation in rice.   Ensuring food security is essential for human survival. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a globally significant food crop and serves as the staple diet for more than half of the world's population. According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), rice consumption per capita in Iran is 60% higher than the global average. Therefore, addressing challenges that threaten this strategic crop is of paramount importance. In this context, numerous studies have identified cadmium as one of the common and critical contaminants of rice. Cadmium is toxic to plants, animals, and humans and does not play any role in biological processes. Due to its high water solubility, rapid accumulation in the food chain, severe toxicity to living organisms, and mutagenic nature, cadmium is considered one of the most hazardous heavy metal pollutants. Several reports highlight the ease with which cadmium is absorbed by rice plants and transferred to their stems and grains. Given the cadmium contamination in some paddy fields in Iran and its implications for food security, this review aims to investigate the factors influencing cadmium accumulation in rice plants and examine various physical, chemical, and especially biological methods for mitigating cadmium toxicity in rice. The findings suggest that remediation strategies such as inoculating soil with cadmium-resistant microorganisms and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), using plant growth stimulants, signaling molecules, organic and inorganic amendments like biochar, compost, nitrogen, iron, zinc, animal manure, plant residues, cultivating rice varieties with low cadmium uptake capacity, and proper water management can effectively reduce cadmium accumulation in rice. https://ijswr.ut.ac.ir/article_103848_ba2dfbae47fa6de193fd14ab536de8f4.pdf