Absorption and transport of iron in some crop cultivars

Abstract

The availability of iron to the plants from the growing medium is influenced by a number of factors. Although the soil may contain sufficient amounts of iron, its uptake and utilization depend on the processes residing within the plant roots and those controlling the transport to the leaves. The absorption and transport of iron were followed in bean plants, young maize seedlings and a few varieties of rice and were compared with a freely mobile element Rb. Studies with ⁵⁹Fe indicate that it is taken up from the nutrient solution and readily transported to stem, leaves and flowers in bean plants, and from old to new leaves of maize during a short period. Further, with increase in days, there is a decrease in iron content in the older leaves. These results suggest that iron is mobile within the plants during a limited growing period of maize. Iron absorption and transport patterns are found to differ significantly among three rice cultivars, namely, Basmati, and B‐36 and B‐63 which are mutants of Basmati. The results can perhaps help in identifying the cultivars which are iron‐stress tolerant and susceptible.

Key words:

• Iron
• absorption
• transport
• differential uptake
• bean
• maize
• rice
• cultivars
• chlorophyl content