Characterization of the chemical state of iron in the leaves of wild-type tomato and of a nicotianamine-free mutantChloronerva by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES)

Abstract

Forms of iron in leaves of wild-type tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Bonner Beste) and of the nicotianamine-free mutant, chloronerva, were analysed by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES). The XANES spectra of the wild-type leaf veins and of the interveinal areas of leaves of both wild-type and chloronerva had a lower edge energy than the spectrum of the chloronerva leaf veins. This decrease may be caused by the presence of ferrous iron. Thus nicotianamine may play an important role in maintaining iron in the ferrous form in the veins of tomato leaves. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.