Iron (Fe) deficiency in plants is one of the widespread problems limiting agricultural production. Generating crops more tolerant to Fe deficiency by genetic engineering or breeding is of great interest but challenging due to the knowledge gaps in general plant Fe homeostasis. Although several genes involved in Fe homeostasis have been identified, characterization of their roles is mainly limited to specific organs at specific developmental stages of the plant, where their mutants show the most striking phenotype. Vacuolar Iron Transporter 1 (VIT1) is a well-known gene that has been characterized for its function in the mature seed of Arabidopsis thaliana. VIT1 is an Fe transporter that determines the correct distribution of Fe storage in this organ. The study aimed to explore new physiological functions for VIT1. As a first step, Arabidopsis thaliana plants that contain PromoterVIT1: GUS constructs were used to study the temporal and spatial expression of the gene throughout the plant’s lifecycle. GUS histochemical staining revealed the VIT1 promoter is active in the mature leaves and mature reproductive organs. VIT1 promoter activity in the stamen increased developmentally and was limited to tapetum and guard cells in the pollen sac. In the female organ, VIT1 promoter activity increased as the pistil developed into a silique. Although all the silique exhibited staining, staining density was higher in the peduncle, replum, and stigma regions. Inside the developing silique, funicles were heavily stained. Furthermore, in silico analyses of VT1 transcriptome and protein levels confirmed flower and the silique are hot spots for VT1 activity. Thus, the results may suggest a possible involvement of VT1 protein in several stages of the reproductive system, specifically in the flowering and in the fruit development.

Iron (Fe) deficiency in plants is one of the widespread problems limiting agricultural production. Generating crops more tolerant to Fe deficiency by genetic engineering or breeding is of great interest but challenging due to the knowledge gaps in general plant Fe homeostasis. Although several genes involved in Fe homeostasis have been identified, characterization of their roles is mainly limited to specific organs at specific developmental stages of the plant, where their mutants show the most striking phenotype. Vacuolar Iron Transporter 1 (VIT1) is a well-known gene that has been characterized for its function in the mature seed of Arabidopsis thaliana. VIT1 is an Fe transporter that determines the correct distribution of Fe storage in this organ. The study aimed to explore new physiological functions for VIT1. As a first step, Arabidopsis thaliana plants that contain PromoterVIT1: GUS constructs were used to study the temporal and spatial expression of the gene throughout the plant’s lifecycle. GUS histochemical staining revealed the VIT1 promoter is active in the mature leaves and mature reproductive organs. VIT1 promoter activity in the stamen increased developmentally and was limited to tapetum and guard cells in the pollen sac. In the female organ, VIT1 promoter activity increased as the pistil developed into a silique. Although all the silique exhibited staining, staining density was higher in the peduncle, replum, and stigma regions. Inside the developing silique, funicles were heavily stained. Furthermore, in silico analyses of VT1 transcriptome and protein levels confirmed flower and the silique are hot spots for VT1 activity. Thus, the results may suggest a possible involvement of VT1 protein in several stages of the reproductive system, specifically in the flowering and in the fruit development.

Research was conducted to examining the effects of harvest periods on root yield, essential oil content, resinoid content and essential oil composition of Iris species. Iris germanica field in Kuyucak town of Isparta which plant 3 years were constituted in 2016 year as three replications plots according to randomized block experimental design. Harvest was made in the middle each month from April to September (6 periods). Number of rhizomes weight, fresh rhizome yield, dry rhizome yield, essential oil ratio, resinoid ratio and composition in the Iris germanica were determined. In the study, differences between rhizome yield and examining characteristics of Iris germanica according to harvesting periods were statistically significant. Number of rhizomes varied between 3.27-6.47 per plant, rhizome weight 85.55-186.52 g per plant, fresh rhizome yield 972.8-1651.2 kg da-1, dry rhizome yield 212.33-457.50 kg da-1, essential oil and resinoid ratio of rhizome obtained after harvest 0.057-0.076%, 8.00-10.57% essential oil and resinoid ratio in stored rhizomes 0.10-0.14%, 6.95-10.45%, respectively. Rate of α-iron and ɣ-iron components that determine to qualities in essential oil of Iris rhizomes in after harvest varied between 16.1-27.7% and 23.4-50.8% and 29.4-31.2% and 55.2-59% in the essential oil stored rhizomes of Iris germanica, respectively.

An experiment was carried out at the ICAR-KVK Research farm, HansRoever Campus, Perambalur, Tamil Nadu, India during the Kharif season (July to October), 2020 to study the effect of agronomic biofortification through integrated nutrient management on hybrid maize (biofortified and non-biofortified). The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design having 36 treatment combinations of hybrids and nutrients and replicated thrice. The treatment sources consisted of two main plots of maize hybrids (M1: Non-biofortified and M2: biofortified), and six sub-plots of nutrients (S1: 100 % Recommended Dose of Fertilizer RDF through Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, S2: 100 % RDF through Farm Yard Manure, S3: 50% RDF through NPK + 50% RDF through FYM, S4: S1+ Iron and Zinc as foliar application @0.5% conc, S5: S2 + Iron and Zinc as foliar application @0.5% conc, S6: S3 + Iron and Zinc as foliar application @0.5% conc.). The recommended dose of fertilizer was NPK 150:75:75 kg ha-1. Application of 50% RDF through NPK + 50% RDF through FYM with Fe and Zn as foliar application @0.5% conc (S6) at 45 (active vegetative stage) and 90 (grain filling stage) days after sowing, significantly increased all the growth and yield attributes, grain and stover yield, quality attributes and nutrient uptake by maize. Among the nutrient levels, higher grain yield (8.2 t ha-1) and stover yield (10.16 t ha-1), quality attributes, and nutrient uptake were recorded with the application of 50% RDF through NPK + 50% RDF through FYM with Fe and Zn as foliar application @0.5% conc (S6). Similarly, significant net return (INR 78,767) and benefit cost ratio (3.07) were noted with the application of 100% RDF through NPK (S1) followed by 50% RDF through NPK + 50% RDF through FYM with Fe and Zn as foliar application @0.5% conc (S6). Hence, integrated nutrient management with agronomic biofortification @0.5% conc., at 45th and 90th DAS should be adopted to obtain maximum grain yield, net profit, and nutrient uptake by Kharif maize.

Research was conducted to examining the effects of harvest periods on root yield, essential oil content, resinoid content and essential oil composition of Iris species. Iris germanica field in Kuyucak town of Isparta which plant 3 years were constituted in 2016 year as three replications plots according to randomized block experimental design. Harvest was made in the middle each month from April to September (6 periods). Number of rhizomes weight, fresh rhizome yield, dry rhizome yield, essential oil ratio, resinoid ratio and composition in the Iris germanica were determined. In the study, differences between rhizome yield and examining characteristics of Iris germanica according to harvesting periods were statistically significant. Number of rhizomes varied between 3.27-6.47 per plant, rhizome weight 85.55-186.52 g per plant, fresh rhizome yield 972.8-1651.2 kg da-1, dry rhizome yield 212.33-457.50 kg da-1, essential oil and resinoid ratio of rhizome obtained after harvest 0.057-0.076%, 8.00-10.57% essential oil and resinoid ratio in stored rhizomes 0.10-0.14%, 6.95-10.45%, respectively. Rate of α-iron and ɣ-iron components that determine to qualities in essential oil of Iris rhizomes in after harvest varied between 16.1-27.7% and 23.4-50.8% and 29.4-31.2% and 55.2-59% in the essential oil stored rhizomes of Iris germanica, respectively.

The aim of this research was to determine the most suitable extraction method for the available iron contents of calcareous soils in Trakya Region, Turkey. For this purpose ten calcareous soil samples were taken from research area and five extraction methods (Lindsay and Norvell, Wear and Evans, Olson, Soltanpur and Mehlich methods) were used and three biological indices (dry matter yield, Fe concentration, Fe uptake) were compared. The plant biological indices were determined with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plant grown under greenhouse conditions. At the end of the experiment, the highest correlation coefficients (r) were determined between the 0.005 M DTPA + 0.01 M CaCl2 + 0.1 M TEA, 0.005 M DTPA + 1 M NH4HCO3 methods and the biological indices. The correlation coefficients (r) for the 0.005 M DTPA + 0.01 M CaCl2 + 0.1 M TEA method and the three biological indices were 0.648**, 0.780** and 0.656** respectively. For the 0.005 M DTPA + 1 M NH4HCO3 method, these coefficients were determined 0.595**, 0.637** and 0.625**, respectively. Consequently, these extraction methods were suggested for the determination of the available Fe contents of the calcareous soils in Trakya Region, Turkey.