Mechanism of Iron Transport in the Triticum aestivum L.–Soil System: Perception from a Pot Experiment

Abstract

Iron is one of the necessary trace elements for plant growth and the human body. The ‘hidden hunger’ phenomenon in the human body caused by an imbalance of iron in soil is increasingly prominent. Addressing this issue and optimizing soil through regulatory measures to improve the absorption and utilization of iron by crops has become an urgent priority in agricultural development. This study carries out pot experiments to observe the growth process of Triticum aestivum L. under various soil iron environments. Combined with previous research results, the transport mechanism of iron in the soil—Triticum aestivum L. system was systematically explored. The results indicate that during the jointing and maturity stages of Triticum aestivum L., iron was preferentially enriched in the underground parts; at the maturity stage, the iron content in various organs of Triticum aestivum L. shows a trend of increase followed by a decrease with the soil iron content varying in the following sequence: deficient, moderately deficient, medium, moderately adequate, and adequate. The iron-deficient stress environment causes an increase in the effectiveness of rhizosphere iron, resulting in a higher level of iron in the plant stems, leaves, and seeds. Conversely, when the soil iron content is medium or adequate, the effectiveness of rhizosphere iron decreases, leading to a reduction in the iron content in each part of the plant. A concentration gradient of 7.2 mg/kg in the experimental setup is found to be the most favorable to the enrichment of iron in the shoots of Triticum aestivum L. plants. The findings of this experiment provide guidance for the fertilization strategy to mitigate iron deficiency symptoms in plants under similar acidic-alkaline conditions of soil, as well as a systematic mechanism reference and basis for studying the soil-plant-human health relationship.