title: Towards a knowledge-based correction of iron chlorosis.
abstract: Iron (Fe) deficiency-induced chlorosis is a major nutritional disorder in crops growing in calcareous soils. Iron deficiency in fruit tree crops causes chlorosis, decreases in vegetative growth and marked fruit yield and quality losses. Therefore, Fe fertilizers, either applied to the soil or delivered to the foliage, are used every year to control Fe deficiency in these crops. On the other hand, a substantial body of knowledge is available on the fundamentals of Fe uptake, long and short distance Fe transport and subcellular Fe allocation in plants. Most of this basic knowledge, however, applies only to Fe deficiency, with studies involving Fe fertilization (i.e., with Fe-deficient plants resupplied with Fe) being still scarce. This paper reviews recent developments in Fe-fertilizer research and the state-of-the-art of the knowledge on Fe acquisition, transport and utilization in plants. Also, the effects of Fe-fertilization on the plant responses to Fe deficiency are reviewed. Agronomical Fe-fertilization practices should benefit from the basic knowledge on plant Fe homeostasis already available; this should be considered as a long-term goal that can optimize fertilizer inputs, reduce grower's costs and minimize the environmental impact of fertilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Nutrition, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), P.O. BOX 13034, E-50080 Zaragoza, Spain. jabadia@eead.csic.es
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abadía
authors.forename: Saúl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rellán-Álvarez
authors.forename: Hamdi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El-Jendoubi
authors.forename: Anunciación
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abadía
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Fernández
authors.forename: Ana Flor
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: López-Millán
mesh_terms: D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000378:metabolism*; D005029:Ethylenediamines / Q000378:metabolism; D038181:FMN Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005308:Fertilizers; D006706:Homeostasis; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D052585:Phloem / Q000378:metabolism; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D027861:Prunus / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D052584:Xylem / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005029:Ethylenediamines; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005308:Fertilizers; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012987:Soil; D007501:Iron; D038181:FMN Reductase; C023903:ferric citrate iron reductase