Iron nutrition in plants: an overview

Abstract

Plants require iron for a large number of metabolic processes. Due to its low availability in high pH soils, and the impaired acquisition by roots, iron chlorosis is one of the most important limiting factors on plant development in many countries. This editorial paper gives an overview of the latest aspects related to iron nutrition presented at the 18th International Symposium on Iron Nutrition and Interaction in Plants: (i) Iron chemistry and dynamics in soils; (ii) Agronomic practices to correct Fe deficiency, from diagnosis to fertilizer development and genetic approaches; (iii) Physiology of the Fe acquisition, transport and distribution in plants, including microorganism-rhizosphere interactions; (iv) Molecular regulation of Fe homeostasis; (v) Iron and plant metabolism; (vi) Iron interaction with other elements and (vii) Iron fortification of crops for a better human nutrition. The outcomes of the meeting will allow a step forward on the understanding of iron nutrition and open new approaches to cope the iron deficiency problem.