Salt stress-induced changes in soil metabolites promote cadmium transport into wheat tissues

•Sodium salts with Cl− and SO42− anions promoted Cd translocation into wheat tissues.•High levels of sodium salts in the soil triggered an up-regulation of the TCA cycle.•Accumulation of organic acids in the rhizosphere facilitated migration of soil Cd.•Salts altered Cd mobility by mediating soil metabolite profiles and physicochemical properties.