Iron Essentiality; In relation to morphology and physiology of roots
*Monika Gupta, **Ajit Kumar and ***Renu Gautam
*Department of Botany, Nari Shikha Niketan (PG) College, Lucknow, U.P. (India) **State Manager (UP), Amit Biotech (P) Ltd, Kolkatta, W.B. (India) *** Department of Microbiology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, U.P. (India)
ABSTRACT
For plant metabolism iron is an essential nutrient element because of its redox properties. It is transported across the root plasma membrane as free Fe. Both deficiency and toxicity of iron show specific symptoms for a number of plant species. Inter veinal chlorosis is one of the most characteristic symptoms due to poor development of chloroplast in leaves, root hair development, swollen root tip and decreased pH in leaf etc. under the deficiency of Fe. While the toxic effect of iron is to initiate necrotic spots as a result of oxidative stress. Fe is believed to play role in the synthesis of some specific RNAs that regulate the chlorophyll synthesis and IRT1 (iron regulated transporter) gene which is mainly responsible for Fe2+ uptake.