<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Iron deficiency induces a yellowing in the aerial part of plants, known as iron chlorosis, and reduces the growth, yield, and quality of the fruits. Understanding plant response to iron deficiency is essential for agronomic management. This study decoded the temporal response of tomato plants (<italic>Solanum lycopersicum</italic> L.) to iron deficiency by quantifying different vegetative parameters. Subapical root swelling in the first 2.0 mm and several shoot and root growth parameters were measured in plants grown in a nutrient solution with and without Fe, on different dates designated as days after transplantation (DAT). Correlations between the total chlorophyll concentration in young leaves and 22 morphological and physiological parameters were also calculated. The plants grown in the absence of Fe had a higher number of secondary roots at 3 DAT, compared to control plants. On the same date, subapical root swelling was also observed, particularly at 1.5 and 2.0 mm from the root tip. Those plants also had a lower chlorophyll content in young leaves and a higher ferric-chelate reductase activity (FCR; EC 1.16.1.17) in the roots. At 9 DAT, the overall vegetative performance (plant height, fresh weight of stems and leaves) was negatively affected. At the end of the experiment (14 DAT), significant correlations were found between chlorophyll and the studied parameters. In conclusion, tomato plants experienced a cascade of responses to Fe deficiency throughout nine days: firstly, root lateralization increased; later, root swelling was observed, and a decrease in leaf chlorophyll content was registered associated with an increase in root FCR. At the end, the biomass of tomato plants decreased.</p></abstract>

Iron deficiency induces a yellowing in the aerial part of plants, known as iron chlorosis, and reduces the growth, yield, and quality of the fruits. Understanding plant response to iron deficiency is essential for agronomic management. This study decoded the temporal response of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) to iron deficiency by quantifying different vegetative parameters. Subapical root swelling in the first 2.0 mm and several shoot and root growth parameters were measured in plants grown in a nutrient solution with and without Fe, on different dates designated as days after transplantation (DAT). Correlations between the total chlorophyll concentration in young leaves and 22 morphological and physiological parameters were also calculated. The plants grown in the absence of Fe had a higher number of secondary roots at 3 DAT, compared to control plants. On the same date, subapical root swelling was also observed, particularly at 1.5 and 2.0 mm from the root tip. Those plants also had a lower chlorophyll content in young leaves and a higher ferric-chelate reductase activity (FCR; EC 1.16.1.17) in the roots. At 9 DAT, the overall vegetative performance (plant height, fresh weight of stems and leaves) was negatively affected. At the end of the experiment (14 DAT), significant correlations were found between chlorophyll and the studied parameters. In conclusion, tomato plants experienced a cascade of responses to Fe deficiency throughout nine days: firstly, root lateralization increased; later, root swelling was observed, and a decrease in leaf chlorophyll content was registered associated with an increase in root FCR. At the end, the biomass of tomato plants decreased.

Responses of tomato (<italic>Solanum lycopersicum</italic> L.) plants to iron deficiency in the root zone

MeditBio-Center for Mediterranean Bioresources and Food

Folia Horticulturae

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Responses of tomato ( L.) plants to iron deficiency in the root zone

Iron deficiency induces a yellowing in the aerial part of plants, known as iron chlorosis, and reduces the growth, yield, and quality of the fruits....

Responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants to iron deficiency in the root zone

Publicado en línea: 30 jun 2019

Páginas: 223 - 234

Recibido: 06 sept 2018

Aceptado: 24 ene 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fhort-2019-0017

Palabras clave
chlorophyll, ferric-chelate reductase (FCR), plant nutrition, root lateralization, stress physiology, subapical root swelling

© 2019 María Rocío Jiménez et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants to iron deficiency in the root zone

Publicado en línea: 30 jun 2019

Páginas: 223 - 234

Recibido: 06 sept 2018

Aceptado: 24 ene 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fhort-2019-0017

Palabras clavechlorophyll, ferric-chelate reductase (FCR), plant nutrition, root lateralization, stress physiology, subapical root swelling

© 2019 María Rocío Jiménez et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Palabras clave
chlorophyll, ferric-chelate reductase (FCR), plant nutrition, root lateralization, stress physiology, subapical root swelling