18th International Symposium on Iron Nutrition and Interaction in Plants
Madrid – May 30-June 3 2016
APPLICATION OF SULFUR AND SULFUR METABOLITES ENHANCE IRON
DEFICIENCY TOLERANCE IN ARABIDOPSIS
Emre Aksoy*
Nigde University, Ayhan Şahenk Agricultural Sciences and Technologies Faculty, Department of Agricultural
Genetic Engineering, Main Campus, 51240 Nigde, Turkey
*[email protected]
Iron (Fe), is one of the essential micronutrients and is found highly in nature. However, it cannot be absorbed
readily by roots due to its low solubility in calcareous soils with low acidity. Calcareous soils cover 1/3th of the
world, and therefore agriculturally important crops grown on such soils are exposed to constant Fe deficiency.
When exposed to Fe deficiency, plants show leaf chlorosis, which causes significant yield losses of crops in
the field. Proper control of Fe homeostasis in plants is an important physical issue for the protection of
prosthetic iron-sulfur clusters that function as cofactors in crucial processes such as photosynthesis,
respiration, sulfur and nitrogen metabolisms, plant hormone and coenzyme synthesis. For these reasons,
proper function of sulfur metabolism is as vital as the balance of Fe homeostasis in plants. Coordinated
operation of sulfur metabolism is especially important for the elimination of the side effects of Fe deficiency in
plants. Here we report that the application of sulfur or sulfur metabolites decrease the side effects of Fe
deficiency in Arabidopsis. Primary root length, root and shoot fresh weights, chlorophyll content and ferric
reductase (FRO) activity are affected by the application of sulfur to the Fe deficient Arabidopsis Col-0 ecotype.
These changes were dose dependent. Interestingly, addition of O-acetylserine to Fe deficient plants increased
the total chlorophyll content, but did not affect the root growth or FRO activity. Addition of cysteine increased
the root length and chlorophyll content, but did not affect the FRO activity. Addition of methionine or glutathione
did not have any effect on observed parameters. These data give new insights into the usage of sulfur
metabolism in the treatment of Fe deficiency symptoms in plants, and enhancing the tolerance of plants against
Fe deficiency. Our findings suggest that the application of sulfur fertilizers may decrease the Fe deficiency
symptoms in the field when used together with Fe fertilizers. Fe and S levels in the roots, shoots and seeds
will be determined soon.
Arabidopsis, iron, sulfur, ferric reductase activity, chlorophyll content, iron deficiency
Supported by Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) project number 115C031.
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