javascript:void(0) In the Heze genotype, 1,075 genes exhibited differential expression when comparing low cadmium-treated samples to the control group (Heze L vs Heze C ), with the majority of these genes being upregulated (956 genes). When exposed to a high concentration of cadmium, the Heze genotype showed 1,841 DEGs, with 1,371 genes upregulated and 470 genes downregulated relative to the control (Heze H vs Heze C ), reflecting a more robust response with increased stress (Fig. 4a ). In total, 712 genes were upregulated in both low and high cadmium treatment groups (Heze L vs Heze C ), constituting 74.5% of the upregulated genes in the low cadmium treatment (Fig. 4b ). Conversely, only 28 genes were downregulated in both treatment groups (Fig. 4b ). There are no genes that are simultaneously upregulated and downregulated across any treatment combinations.

In the Panjin genotype, only 170 DEGs were identified between low cadmium-treated samples and the control group (Panjin L vs Panjin C ), with a higher number of downregulated genes (101 genes;Fig. 4a ) compared to the upregulated ones. In contrast, samples treated with high cadmium levels (Panjin H vs Panjin C ) showed 300 DEGs, of which more than half were downregulated (182 genes).