Effect of supplied phytosiderophore on 59Fe absorption and translocation in Fe-deficient barley grown hydroponically in low phosphorus media

Abstract

Hydroponically grown barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Minorimugi) under iron-deficient (–Fe) and high phosphorus (P) conditions (500 µmol L−1) showed Fe chlorosis and lower growth compared with plants grown in –Fe and low P conditions (50, 5 and 0.5 µmol L−1). To understand the physiological role of P in regulating the growth of plants in –Fe medium, we carried out an Fe feeding experiment using four P levels (500, 50, 5 and 0.5 µmol L−1) and phytosiderophores (PS), mugineic acid. Our results suggest that plants grown in a high P medium had higher absorption activity of 59Fe compared with plants grown in low P media, irrespective of the presence or absence of added PS. Translocation of 59Fe from roots to shoots was not affected by the P level. The relative translocation rate of 59Fe increased with decreasing levels of P in the medium. In general, the addition of PS enhanced the absorption of 59Fe and its translocation. Taken together these results suggest that the lower relative translocation rate of Fe in high P plants may be induced by the physiological inactivation of Fe in the roots, and the higher absorption activity of Fe in high P conditions possibly results from the response of barley plants to Fe deficiency.