Translocation and Accumulation of Arsenic in Rice Grains: Role of Transporters in Tolerance and Its Incorporation in the Food Chain

Arsenic (As), a widespread hazardous metalloid enters rice plants through several transport routes that are present inside plants for the intake and translocation of other important minerals. Inside the plants, As induces toxic reactions that hinder various physiological processes, bringing down plant growth and grain yield. Moreover, the entry of As through the various transport channels into rice grains also marks its entry into the human food chain and is an undesired phenomenon because of its wide range of toxic reactions in humans, including cancer. The existing mechanism of As detoxification, immobilization, and efflux in rice plants results in a decrease in As accumulation and influx into the grains, as well as a decrease in toxic effects. Additionally, the uptake, influx, and deposition 120 of As inside the rice plant being a genotypically controlled character, there are prospects of exploring rice germplasm worldwide to generate rice varieties with decreased As accumulations for cultivation in As-contaminated rice-growing regions of the world.