Cadmium (Cd) is a potentially toxic trace element. Two growth chamber studies were conducted to understand how: i) mono-ammonium phosphate affects durum wheat, flax or canola Cd uptake due to fertilizer induced changes in soil solution and plant; ii) preceding canola and barley affect the Cd uptake of subsequent durum wheat or flax. Durum wheat and flax shoot Cd concentrations were greater when grown on previous crop canola soil than when grown on previous crop barley soil regardless of what type of crop residue, if any, was added. The increase in Cd uptake for durum wheat and flax when on canola soil was probably due to increased availability of Cd in soil. Conversely, the application of mono-ammonium phosphate – reagent grade and the incorporation of preceding crop residue did not increase the crop Cd uptake of canola, durum wheat or flax and durum wheat or flax, respectively.